… with a true love of horticulture, nature, and natural trees. Baker was an active member of the Baltimore Bonsai Society when a chance encounter at an open house event with bonsai curator … at the U.S. National Arboretum, Bonsai and Penjing Museum (U.S. National Arboretum) happened in 2010. In that meeting, Baker inquired about a volunteer position—that conversation altered the path of his life. He began volunteering in 2011 and did so on and off until 2014. Thanks to an introduction by Sustic, Baker spent six months in 2012 studying with bonsai master Torho …
Type: Staff bio
… We gathered around a table at the Garden View Café the other day to taste something that only one of us had ever tasted before: powdered orchid roots. A traditional winter drink in the cafés and restaurants of Turkey, salep is made from the tuberous roots of …
Type: Blog
… The genus Hibiscus is a large group of flowering plants in the mallow family. The name Hibiscus … “marshmallow.” The sticky root or stem of some plant in the mallow family was used at one time to make marshmallow confections. Some common names for hibiscus plants include hardy hibiscus, … stems back leaving two or three buds, and larger flowers may result. Rose of Sharon grows best in moist, well-drained soil that is amended with compost. Plants prefer full sun to part …
Type: Plant Info
… Senior Staff: Gretchen E. Baker President and Chief Executive Officer Gretchen E. Baker is the President and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden. She has decades of experience leading … led strategic initiatives. “Plants have been braided into my entire career, from the Amazon to the landscape design studio to the dinosaur gallery. I’m excited to now devote my energies to … Chicago and honored to lead the Chicago Botanic Garden,” she said. Gretchen joined the Garden in March 2026 from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, where she led one of the …
Type: Page
… In 1926 when Eva Kenworthy Gray of California launched her at-home hybridizing of fibrous begonias, could she possibly have predicted the enormous success her program would engender? An amateur breeder, she crossed a Brazilian … Deeply etched, lobed, with wavy or feathered margins, these leaves are truly unique. Native to the tropics and subtropics, the angel-wings are wonderful houseplants year-round, not …
Type: Plant Info
… Coloring Pages Coloring pages for all ages Bring the Garden's beauty home! Click below to download, print, and color the blooms. Crescent Garden in Spring Prairie Plants & Pollinators English Oak Meadow Poppies Color the Tulips Color a … Coloring pages for all ages Bring the Garden's beauty home! Click below to download, print, and color the blooms. Crescent Garden in Spring Prairie Plants & Pollinators …
Type: Page
… of Community Partnerships Carmen Vergara is vice president of community partnerships at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She also currently serves on several advisory and governing boards, including the Chicago Board of Health, Firebird Community Arts in Garfield Park, Mobile Care Chicago, and OPEN Center for the Arts in Little Village. She … raised on the southwest side of Chicago and is fluent in Spanish. In her spare time, she loves to create floral arrangements, listen to fun music, and find a good hiking trail. …
Type: Page
… and Procedures Non-Discrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Affirmative Action Policy The Garden does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, marital status, sex, … or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. In addition, the Garden complies with its obligations as a federal contractor, including, but not limited to, its obligations under laws governing affirmative action. The vice president of Human …
Type: Page
… Stop Plant Poaching 🛑 Stop Plant Poaching Plant poaching is illegal—and on the rise. Removing plants from their native habitats endangers species and harms ecosystems. Join the Garden in a global campaign to stop plant poaching and protect plants for future generations. Learn more about plant … 🛑 Stop Plant Poaching Plant poaching is illegal—and on the rise. Removing plants from their native habitats endangers species and harms ecosystems. …
Type: Page
… Q. What is the difference between June-bearing and ever-bearing strawberries? A. Types of strawberries are named according to their harvest time. June-bearing strawberries are the most familiar type and produce the … produce smaller fruits, lower yields, and fewer runners than June-bearing varieties. It is best to remove blooms from June-bearing varieties the first year to encourage healthy root …
Type: Plant Info
