… scientist here at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I have an incredible job that allows me to work with many wonderful graduate students and a team of researchers to study ways to restore natural areas in the Colorado Plateau. If you’ve ever visited national … able to handle these growing threats (we refer to them as “native winners”). The ultimate goal is to help make restoration of these plants and habitats as effective as possible in order to …
Type: Blog
… The January issue of National Geographic features articles on two topics dear to me: American’s national parks (I just planned a Grand Canyon/Arches trip for June!), and the power of nature to improve mental health. The latter article cites scientific evidence that nature makes us … even when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate with our harvest, she doesn’t let us down. Nature is generally consistent, and when it isn’t, it is surprisingly consistent in its inconsistency. …
Type: Blog
… Ketaurah James VeggieRx Manager, Windy City Harvest For Ketaurah James, her job is more than just a job: She grew up in North Lawndale, where Windy City Harvest’s Farm on Ogden … the VeggieRx program is helping people she knows lead healthier, happier lives through access to fresh produce. Here, she talks about how she was first introduced to the Chicago Botanic … plants that call our space home. In honor of The Orchid Show: Magnified , open through March 26, 2023, we chatted with one of the people who see the show through from vision to reality. …
Type: Blog
… Blue and yellow, goldenrods and asters — classic colors of an Illinois autumn. Asters are easy to grow, if you plant them in full sun, in soil that is well-drained but not too rich, and you don't overdo water or fertilizer. But which asters? … – beginning with 180 different plants. He was happy to share the scoop before he finishes the official report on their garden-worthiness, which will appear soon among the Garden's other …
Type: Plant Info
… To commemorate Juneteenth, we invited Chicago writer Tequia Burt to write about the importance of … that you can try growing in your own garden. Hill Country Red Okra OK, I’ll admit that okra is not my favorite—it’s slimy. But I have been convinced by other gardeners that growing your own … forgiving, and prolific crop. Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds/rareseeds.com Aunt Lou’s Underground Railroad Tomato This heirloom seed is still with us today because an …
Type: Blog
… It’s official, sunshine lovers! While October in the Chicago area is usually one of the most pleasant … forms of kale, ‘Redbor’ grows upright on strong stems. The seed packet may say the plant grows to two feet, but the plants in the Garden’s Crescent towered considerably higher—four feet is not …
Type: Plant Info
… Without the backing of a million-dollar advertising campaign, plants may take many years to become recognized by even the most avid horticulturists. Heptacodium miconioides , or seven-son-flower, is a perfect example of a plant that remained unrecognized years after its introduction and is … rediscovered. Although it was first collected in 1907 by E. H. Wilson during an expedition to China, it wasn't until 1916 that a colleague of Wilson's, Alfred Rehder, actually attached a …
Type: Plant Info
… If you’re in Chicago this weekend, that means—like most of us—you didn’t get an invite to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, a graduate of Northwestern University. Get in … younger sister. The occasion was fit for royalty, with a performance from a bagpiper, and an official dedication by the princess, who sported a lovely royal blue coat. You can find a plaque … I have given birth to perhaps a thousand gardens.” The English Walled Garden in May The garden is divided into six “rooms,” and one was made as a nod to the working class. The least formal of …
Type: Blog
… bumblebee was once a common sight across the eastern United States, ranging from Minnesota to Massachusetts. Like all bumblebees, it is a superb pollinator of some of our favorite foods like tomatoes and blueberries, but also of … if we don’t know what caused the decline, are we at an impasse, or are there steps we can take to help bring it back? Nick Dorian, Ph.D. One of the reasons that Jenny and I were gathering …
Type: Blog
… Madame Dahlia, like her name, is a very stately dame; Her family is so polite, it is a joy to meet them, quite. —Elizabeth … varieties. Their perfect petal arrangement dazzles. The American Dahlia Society recognizes 14 official classes with names describing the flower form—including cactus, collarette, orchid, …
Type: Plant Info
