… in early July, while conducting routine pollinator assessments with my Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) student Jenny, we noticed something unusual: a bumblebee with a bright … Jenny and I were gathering data that day was to understand how home gardens can provide food for diverse insect pollinators, from bees to butterflies to beetles. Our research aims to provide … this sighting would not be an isolated case. Over the next several weeks, Jenny and I searched for Bombus affinis across the Garden’s campus with great success locating more than ten different …
Type: Blog
… often escaping into the cultivated garden areas where they would "volunteer" seedlings for years to come. The concept of a knot herb garden was an attempt to combine utilitarianism … with formal gardening. Thyme, lavender, and rosemary are three of the woody herbs suitable for this style. Gardeners today can borrow from this concept and create knot gardens using … Pleaching A boulevard or allée lined with tall, carefully pruned trees might be appropriate for large-scale country gardens. Gardeners in small-scale or urban sites can imitate this concept …
Type: Plant Info
… a knockout punch to some plants this year. (You may recall that the Garden was closed for two consecutive days in late January due to extreme weather conditions.) Japanese maples and … yellow.” “A lot of stresses are cumulative, and the past couple of years have been stressful for plants,” Tiddens said. “We’ve had a very cold winter and a slow, wet spring. Plants have a budget—it’s usually more of a balanced budget for resources or growth. When they’re stressed out, the budget goes to defense.” That …
Type: Plant Info
… white—fresh, breezy, and effortlessly chic. That’s “Cloud Dancer,” Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2026. Calm without being boring, elegant without being fussy, it’s the perfect excuse to … and energy without overwhelming the serene backdrop. All-white plantings offer a dreamy stage for evening entertainment, glowing under string lights or lanterns and letting every bloom and … bee magnet, it draws steady visitors all season. Heat- and drought-tolerant, it’s perfect for naturalistic borders or easy-care beds, offering seasonal charm and understated refinement. …
Type: Blog
… about right this year, but the quality of the experience is a little ‘off,’” Tankersley said. “For instance, the cherry [tree] outside my office—in a good year—is a mass of light yellow … the Chicago area is hard to predict.” Part of the mission of the Garden’s Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action is to fight climate change through scientific research … a topic of conversation among the horticulture staff for the last couple of weeks and in the news,” said Tankersley. “The diminished [fall] displays are caused, in part, by the drought and …
Type: Blog
… Description: Look in open areas like the Dixon Prairie, or elsewhere around the Garden, for this warbler that is common at the Garden during its long migration stopover. One of the most … you can watch yellow-rumped warblers perched on trees along the lakes and river waiting for insects rising from the water. You may observe the yellow-rumped warbler as it flies into the … You can often even hear the bill snap as the warbler traps the hapless bug. Also, listen for the series of fast, high-pitched notes as the yellow-rumped warbler males defend feeding …
Type: Birding
… up from a nap! We can go and take care of the plants right away and know they will look good for our visitors.” The brains of the system, a computer that the horticulturists have nicknamed, … far, Hal-lie’s response to program enhancement has been “I’m sorry, I can’t do that, Davina.” For now, the gardeners are happy that the information seems accurate and Hal-lie cannot read lips. For a sample dataset, how to access this technology, and other important findings of our work …
Type: Blog
… Temperatures colder than that will freeze tissue and kill the roots. There are several methods for overwintering small, hardy woody plants. If you have an unheated garage, stairwell or … the plants well now, throughout autumn and even during winter thaws. Another option is to wait for several freezes and then move the containers close to the house where they will be protected …
Type: Plant Info
… sound practices when dealing with insect problems, and determine your personal threshold for damage. Chemical treatments should always be considered a last option. Regular monitoring of … the least amount of beneficial insects are present. Please contact Plant Information Service for the most current chemical options recommended by the University of Illinois Extension. …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I have a small aquatic garden in my yard. How do I get it up and operating for summer? A. Performing basic maintenance on your water feature as part of spring startup will … the pond. Please contact Plant Information at (847) 835-0972 or plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org for more information. …
Type: Plant Info
