… forsythia bushes began unfurling their flower power in shades of bright yellow. " Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party. " — Robin Williams, American Actor While I’d like to party outside—sowing seeds and enjoying the spring blossoms—I’m keeping a cautious eye on the … ground. The temperature near the soil surface can be colder than that just a few feet above. Official Illinois weather monitoring stations are placed five feet above the ground. At that …
Type: Plant Info
… We admit to a weakness for daffodils here—last time we counted, we came up with quite a grand total: more … and unplanted. What makes a miniature? The American Daffodil Society (ADS) refrains from an official definition or separate division for miniatures (although it sanctions a cultivar list ). … smaller flowers each year, according to sun/soil/water/weather conditions—the term "miniature" is a moving target that's hard to standardize. In general, however, the ADS and reputable …
Type: Plant Info
… One of the joys of indoor gardening is growing pots of fragrant paperwhite daffodils. During the cold, dreary, winter months, their … all are members of the genus Narcissus —the Latin/botanical name for all daffodils. According to the American Daffodil Society, there are between 40 and 200 different daffodil species, … than 32,000 registered cultivars (named hybrids). They are divided into 13 divisions in an official classification system. Some people refer to any yellow daffodil as a jonquil. However, …
Type: Plant Info
… away from loneliness until only her voice remained, which disappeared into the mountains to mock every sound it heard. The gods, angry at the cold and conceited Narcissus , changed him … a flower, destined to spend eternity at the water’s edge nodding at his reflection. Spring is here when the daffodils bloom Who can possibly doubt that spring is among us when the tiny … 32,000 registered cultivars (named hybrids). Daffodils are divided into 13 divisions in an official classification system. But don’t worry—no need to memorize the divisions to be …
Type: Plant Info
… Explore the Bonsai courtyards Among the Chicago Botanic Garden's world-class plant displays is a specialty collection of close to 200 priceless bonsai — trees that have been trained to grow in pots or trays. These miniature artworks are the same trees we can grow in our own …
Type: Walks
… Connecting Your Garden to Your Teaspoon Bees are part of every garden. Because bee populations continue to decline, and because September is National Honey Month…we dedicate this Smart Gardener to the story of how bees actually produce …
Type: Plant Info
… An Herbal Fix for Winter Doldrums The winter solstice arrives on December 21. It marks the official start of winter. On that day, we’ll experience the shortest amount of daylight and … longest night of the year here in the Northern Hemisphere. Have you noticed that the sunlight is weak and the skies are often somber? Freezing temperatures, the possibility of snow, and cabin fever—the spring seems far away. That’s all the more reason to have a little fun with herbs. Here are some do-it-yourself ideas for using these aromatic …
Type: Plant Info
… 2014 Participants Jesus Cuezzi Grower Fifth season Jesus started out as a crew leader and is now a grower. Along with being a master salesperson at market, Jesus is a great guitar player, … First season Audrey is an intern who recently graduated from Indiana University. She came to Chicago to combine her love of and experience with farming with youth development work. Her enthusiastic … First season Audrey is an intern who recently graduated from Indiana University. She came to Chicago to combine her love of and experience with farming with youth development work. Her …
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… sustainable agriculture techniques, growing flowers, and providing Lawndale with access to fresh vegetables. Violeta Hernandez Intern Violeta recently graduated from Northeastern … environmental science. She spent a semester abroad in Bali working in agriculture and wanted to expand on that experience in Chicago. She likes working side-by-side with the students and learning about urban agriculture. Carolina Macias Intern Carolina is an intern from the Windy City Harvest program. She is from the Little Village neighborhood and …
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… in the dense equatorial rainforests of the island of Sumatra. Although the tubers that he sent to Florence died, some seeds survived, and a single seedling was sent to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It flowered in 1889. But only recently has the horticulture … preserve the species. The Garden received several of its titan arums at the same time, which is why the Garden has had several corpse flowers ready to bloom in recent years. It is a rare …
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