… to becoming an identification expert. Common Cardinal Goldfinch on a flower head Cedar Waxwing in winter Seed Mixes Birds do have seed preferences. That's why there are so many different types … offered in a bag of mixed seed, you'll see many different birds gathering at the feeder. This is the seed of choice for many because it's reasonably priced and does the job, but unfortunately … from yews are loved by many birds, and a thick yew hedge is an example of a good nesting site. Oaks attract about 300 different species of insects, and their nuts are favored by blue …
Type: Plant Info
… While there's still a chill in the air, gardeners can find comfort in seed catalogs as they think about spring. Growing … $8 to $10. A packet of seeds can provide dozens of the same plant for about one-third of the price. Each seed holds an embryonic plant that’s resting and waiting for the right conditions to germinate. One of the most satisfying things a gardener can do is plant a seed, nurture it, and watch it grow. It’s an enjoyable way to connect with nature. And …
Type: Plant Info
… 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 is located, and she has seen … 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
… Madame Dahlia, like her name, is a very stately dame; Her family is so polite, it is a joy to meet them, quite. —Elizabeth … roses and late-season clematis. But for sheer drama, nothing steals the show like a dahlia. In its home in Mexico, the dahlia’s flower grew no larger than 1 to 2 inches across. But when the … 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
… There is something wonderful about a plant that gives you color, pizzazz, longevity, reliability, and … open faces and Orientals (if they are fortunate enough to survive the rabbits) coming later in summer, broadcasting fragrance and elegance in spite of their splotches and speckles. In … (although the foliage and bulbs often do), and, when happy in their full-sun, well-drained site, can form colonies or self-seed, especially when some of the more humongous flower heads are …
Type: Plant Info
… " In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. " — Mark Twain, … 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 … 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
… they each have Incubator plots. Natasha Coleman started at Windy City Harvest’s Youth Farm in high school because she was a “tomboy at heart” who wanted to get her hands dirty. Deshawn … he needed a job—then from day one, he fell in love with “how resilient and amazing nature is.” Clarence Smith’s family has farmed for generations in Michigan and Mississippi; Windy City … They also create an influx of hyperlocal, sustainable produce for local communities; they price their produce low at markets so it’s tenable for community members to purchase from them. …
Type: Blog
… he spent hours at the garden pool gazing at his reflection. Echo, a mountain nymph, fell madly in love with him, but her love was not returned by the vain Narcissus . Echo wasted away from … 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 gardens, but they have received the attention and care of professional bonsai masters, …
Type: Walks
… 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 … plant to another. This mutually beneficial relationship has co-evolved over millions of years. In a colony, every bee has a specific job. The job of finding nectar falls to adults called … yield, and has about an 80/20 ratio of water to sugar (mostly sucrose). Bees load up while out in the field, typically gathering their body weight in nectar. Having stopped at many flowers …
Type: Plant Info
