… If you’ve thought about delving into gardening but don’t know quite where to start, you’re in the right place. Any kind of gardening—whether you want to grow houseplants or herbs, flowers … and how to care for plants. The Garden offers many resources to get you growing. Let’s dig in. Start Small Don’t have space to garden outdoors? Start indoors with pint-sized houseplants . … your green thumbs—around a patio, on a deck, on a balcony or near an entryway—growing plants in pots is a good way to add color and a little pizzazz. Flanking a walkway or a front door with …
Type: Plant Info
… an unbelievable amount of information about companion planting, but you don’t find much in the way of scientific journals or reviews,” says Tom Tiddens, supervisor of the Garden’s Plant … CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Tiddens is big on having plant and environmental diversity in the home landscape. “Rather than using plants to discourage certain insects, you can attract a … when there’s something for them to eat. “We want to mimic Mother Nature by having diversity in the landscape to strike a natural balance. You can do that on a small, quarter-acre yard.” …
Type: Plant Info
… are great for crafts, decorations and food. A member of the squash family, pumpkin is high in beta-carotene, potassium and vitamin C; low in fat; and high in fiber. Smaller, three- to six-pounders are the best for pies since they're sweet and …
Type: Plant Info
… gardeners consider hostas quite similar to daylilies — absolutely fail-safe plants. Stick them in the ground, give them a little water, and they're on their own. In fact, they grow so fast and multiply so freely that, in a few years, you'll be splitting them apart and giving them away to friends. Hostas have …
Type: Plant Info
… prairie, woodlands—that have been changed over time by human activities like landscaping. In urban environments like the Chicago area, landscaping with invasive plants has contributed to … the landscape. Some invasive species were, or still are, popular ornamental plants used in landscaping. Because plants form the base of our food web, these invasives potentially can … out not only native plants, but the animals that rely upon them. Much of the restoration work in our area focuses on getting rid of these invaders so that we are not left with a monoculture. …
Type: Plant Info
… have caused many plants to become rare or endangered. By banking seeds of these plants in safe storage, away from danger, the Chicago Botanic Garden is working to safeguard their … ex-situ (offsite) conservation, seed banking native species guards against their disappearance in the wild and is an important way to conserve plant diversity. Climate change occurred naturally over millennia, with most organisms either adapting or migrating in the face of such environmental change. Today, however, changes are occurring very rapidly and …
Type: Plant Info
… Many homeowners do their lawn renovation in spring, but in fact this work is better done in fall once summer's heat and drought have passed. In fall, cool air temperatures and warm soil …
Type: Plant Info
… tasks are often dictated by its arrival. Cleanup and maintenance chores take a starring role in advance of winter. Although our gardens are bidding farewell to the last of the season’s flowers, October is a great time to plant spring-blooming bulbs in anticipation of next year’s growing season. Garden To-Do List Plant spring bulbs Fall is prime … Begin garden cleanup As leaves fall and plants die back, it’s a good time to clean up the yard in anticipation of the coming winter weather. Excess fallen leaves can be shredded and kept aside …
Type: Plant Info
… The storage of pollen allows us to make selected crosses to improve the genetics of plants in collections and help with in situ work down the line. …
Type: Staff bio
… Cyclamen prefer cool temperatures and moderate light levels to provide continuous flowering in the winter months. This plant is not hardy outdoors in our climate. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
