… where you can reflect on your day—or your life—and be one with nature. Here are some ideas for using your own outdoor sanctuary as a welcome escape. Take a Seat A comfortable chair or … that range from clove and vanilla to lemon, orange, and almond. Meander A path is a necessity for getting around, but it can also provide a framework that links garden elements together. In a larger space, a path allows for exploring and can lead to hidden features, like a fountain, a birdbath, or statuary tucked …
Type: Plant Info
… talk to their plants, one in five say they do so every day, according to the survey by Trees.com. The plant talkers mostly chat with their houseplants, but 62 percent also talk to their … Martian soil is next? Soil is a big deal at the Garden. So we were thrilled to hear that, for the first time, University of Florida researchers grew plants in soil from the moon. The … made ourselves. Nothing happened. But, oh, the possibilities… “Hello, pitcher plant. What’s for lunch?” Carnivorous pitcher plants, like Nepenthes ‘Maria’ in our Tropical Greenhouse, are …
Type: Blog
… of USDA hardiness zones (zones 5-9). I am leading a project to develop genomics resources for A. triloba and explore genetic diversity in Asimina. Collaborators and I are sampling A. … currently being devastated by beech bark disease (BBD). I am developing genomic tools for woodlot management that can identify trees that are resistant to BBD and use them in a … help maintain this tree as an iconic species in the American landscape. We are setting trials for woodlot management and conducting long-term monitoring to assess whether a marker-assisted …
Type: Staff bio
… recognizable and beloved wildflowers, but there are a few things you may not know about them. For one thing, there are several wild species of Rudbeckia growing in the region and several cultivars with bigger and/or fancier flowers that have been developed for people’s gardens. My favorite, sweet black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) , is a native … cleaning this species is wonderful! Sweet black-eyed Susan is a sweet addition to any garden for several reasons: it is a native species, a long-lived perennial, adaptable to several …
Type: Plant Info
… as a beacon of color on a cold, leafless winter day. Though this species has a bad reputation for robbing eggs from other birds' nests, squirrels and crows, in turn, raid the nests of jays. … helps feed the young. Blue jays can be raucous, and their “jay jay jay” screech can be heard for quite a distance. During breeding season they become quiet, especially when near their nests. …
Type: Birding
… Description: Look for this woodland-nesting flycatcher in the McDonald Woods or in the Barbara Brown Nature … the trees' shade in McDonald Woods at the Garden. Have a seat on one of the benches and listen for the pewee, a bird much more easily heard than seen. Even on a warm summer day, the eastern …
Type: Birding
… limbs of 30 whitespire birch trees to reveal their brilliant stems. While it's not necessary for the health of the trees, the task does make the trees more beautiful — and luckily, it is … You may need to clean older trees every two or three years to maintain the white look. Wait for the right conditions. If you have other plants under your birch trees, you'll want to wait …
Type: Plant Info
… Continue to care for indoor flowering gift plants. Azaleas require even moisture and bright light. Deadhead to keep plants blooming for four to six weeks. Azaleas can go outside to a partly shaded location after May 15, but must …
Type: Plant Info
… before sweeping out and up. Smaller branchlets on each large branch hang down, which accounts for the tree’s pendulous appearance. However, the tips of many large, sweeping branches suddenly … young, russet-brown when mature. Serbian spruce is a statuesque conifer, strongly recommended for the Chicago area due to its four-season interest, including good winter color; disease and …
Type: Plant Info
… dispursing their seeds, often in downy tufts, with the wind. Wood has been commercially used for a variety of products including furniture, cabinets, barrels, crates and butcher blocks. Native Americans hollowed out trunk sections for dugout canoes. European settlers reportedly gave this tree the common name of sycamore …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
