… Large pinkish-purple flowers with prominent purple spots and blotches appear in masses towards the growing tip of the single cane. In the wild, aerial roots arising along the cane intertwine … with surrounding vegetation to keep the plants upright when in flower. In cultivation staking is required. Bright light, high humidity and high temperatures with exceptionally well drained … by genus and is consistent with their natural habitat. While requiring adequate sunlight for a stunning bloom display, most orchids will not tolerate sustained direct sun. Many varieties …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… It happens every year—like Groundhog Day—and I have the same déjà vu annually! Each winter for the past more than 20 years, I have supervised and worked on the pruning of the apple orchard … March to begin pruning and complete the work before the buds begin to plump and open, as this is the optimal window to prune apple trees for plant health. Over the years, I have been in …
Type: Blog
… Subtly flamed petals in pink and mauve transition to almost white at the edges of the petals on this tulip whose colors complement/contrast with a wide range of springs' vibrant color palette. Tulips grow best in full sun, well-drained, moisture-retentive soils that remain on the dry side during their …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… February is such an exciting month for gardeners—time for the first seeds to get started indoors, and time for our Seed Swap! As you pull out your … old, or questionably stored seeds can test a gardener’s patience and sanity, as even the best-tended pots and plots can’t make nonviable seeds sprout. Seeds don’t live forever (at Seed …
Type: Plant Info
… to hard edges. Close to doorways, they welcome visitors with texture and fragrance. By the back porch, they encourage soft touches and occasional pinches as herbs and vegetables are checked for perfect picking. Containers satisfy the need to design complete gardens—but in small spaces, … are also very heavy and expensive and should be used only as permanent containers. Terra cotta is a popular, medium-priced material, available in all sizes and therefore a good choice for …
Type: Plant Info
… species of moths in the state of Illinois—more than ten times the diversity of butterflies—it is a real adventure sampling the moth species inhabiting the McDonald Woods at the Chicago … from the fact that many of the species are dependent on one or just a few native plant species for their survival, and as a result, may serve as valuable indicators of the health of our … long. One in particular I like to refer to as the “Nemo” moth, as in Finding Nemo . I gave this species that name because its colorful pattern reminds me of a clown fish. At the other end …
Type: Blog
… OAKtober We 🤎 OAKtober! Did you know that pin oaks hold their anthocyanin-rich leaves through the fall? Or that the oldest oak at the Garden is a white oak that lives near the Lake Cook entrance? Check out our infographic below to learn more about the popular and beautiful native oak trees we are celebrating this October and beyond. #oaktober … oaks hold their anthocyanin-rich leaves through the fall? Or that the oldest oak at the Garden is a white oak that lives near the Lake Cook entrance? Check out our infographic below to learn …
Type: Page
… Allium caeruleum is a native of Central Asia and is known as a blue globe onion. People seem to be attracted to the color blue — at least as it is displayed by flowers. Name the rarest, most sought after … frequency with which gardeners water their flower beds in summer. If at all possible, purchase this plant when in flower to obtain the best color forms. Several commercially available produce …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… One of my signature projects at the Chicago Botanic Garden is designing and building the hypertufa troughs for the Heritage Garden spring display. While our greenhouse staff spends their winters growing … large sheet of plastic on the inside of the frame. Add a 4-inch layer of sand on top of this sheet of plastic. STEP 5 Between the two sheets of plastic, start pouring in more concrete …
Type: Blog
… Froebelii spirea is noted for better heat and drought tolerance than other Spiraea japonica . Foliage emerges red-tinged and turns to blue-green as the season progresses. Blooms are bright carmine pink. The Spiraea japonica species includes the … Botanic Garden's collection includes nearly 100 varieties and 3,000 plants. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer being updated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
