… Milk 'n Cookies boneset is derived from a north American native plant. Its name refers to the milky white flower heads that appear in late summer juxtaposed against its striking chocolate-maroon foliage. It grows to about 3 feet in height and 2 feet wide in optimal conditions. Milk 'n Cookies prefers rich, … soil and would be well-suited to rain gardens and pond edges. It also makes a wonderful plant for a mixed border blending especially well with native plants such as grasses. The flowers are …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… I’ve stated before, we in the education department of the Chicago Botanic Garden are committed to helping parents and teachers find great projects that teach students how plants sustain and … the seeds are harvested, because they become easier to handle and store. The natural way to remove the coating is to ferment the seeds in a jar or bowl. It’s a simple procedure. 1. … and other fruit ripening in your kitchen, because it can attract fruit flies. Leave it there for three to five days, depending on the conditions. Natural “beasties” in the air (yeast) will …
Type: Blog
… this week, our favorite came from 8-year-old Prairie! In the video below, Prairie wants to know, in essence, if she can transport Spike’s malodorous odor from the Chicago Botanic Garden to her classroom. Good question, Prairie! Conservation scientist Dr. Shannon Still has a … a great science project! If you come to the Garden on the night Spike blooms, perhaps you’ll get to see Shannon Still working on “Operation Pollination.” Introduce yourself if you’re there! …
Type: Blog
… morning, when I had discovered the male-female lacewing, butterfly visitors had been waiting for me to release butterflies from the pupae chamber. So I packed up the lacewing, with all of the other … be a valuable contribution to science, and if nothing else, something that everyone should get a chance to see. I tried to find and capture it so an expert could take a closer look. A full …
Type: Blog
… When a coyote pirouettes in the snow, you start to wonder. Where was it going? And what made it turn? After a big snow, I love looking for wildlife tracks and the stories they tell. The paw prints and other tracks in the snow are … rabbit hopped to the corner of the building, stopped, and then turned around and went back the way it came. Did it possibly see or smell the coyotes that were running around and decide to go …
Type: Blog
… This popular medium to large hosta has white-margined foliage and is notable for its good growth rate and long growing season. Francee is considered a reliable choice for landscaping purposes. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and long-lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Sometimes spring just doesn’t want to arrive. Sometimes it can’t wait to burst forth with flowers and foliage and make everything … spring. Red Charm peony buds ( Paeonia ‘Red Charm’) look like alien asparagus pushing their way out of the ground in the Farwell Landscape Garden. Cooler temperatures may slow growth for most plants, but they also allow for richer colors to develop. These peony stems have a deep …
Type: Blog
… Berries Berries Abound In the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden What can bramble fruits do for you? Blackberries, raspberries, loganberries, lingonberries, boysenberries, and well, a … Berries Abound In the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden What can bramble fruits do for you? Blackberries, raspberries, loganberries, lingonberries, boysenberries, and well, a …
Type: Page
… Dancing Queen is notable for its piecrust edged bright yellow leaves. This medium hosta is known for holding its yellow color well into the growing season. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow and long-lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks … are also common; new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3-8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… spikes on this unique cultivar. Specialist growers in Taiwan have developed a technique to delay flowering for four years in order for the plants to have enough energy to support an incredible number of simultaneously open flowers. Grow this …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
