… to rainforests, plants stole the spotlight in 2025. Here are the stories that made us fall for them all over again. Grassy plumage is the new black. Made from hand-dyed plant material, … “ Ovicula’s white fuzz isn’t the same thing, since it’s not a cactus, but it likely evolved for a similar purpose: surviving life in the desert.” Wooly devil, by Debra L. Manley, Public … our own: “Back in 1991, Princess Margaret dedicated the English Walled Garden during a royal visit,” said Senior Horticulturist Heather Sherwood. “There’s another Princess here, too: a …
Type: Blog
… Sunshine is the latest corpse flower at the Chicago Botanic Garden to bloom. A member of the Aroid plant family … where Sunshine’s family can be seen throughout the Garden. Many are grown ornamentally for their attractive leaf shape (philodendrons, anthuriums) and colorations (elephant ears, … pothos, taro) while others—anthuriums and calla lilies chief among them—are grown for their attractive flowers. While not all members of the family smell bad—the calla lily, for …
Type: Blog
… right in our own backyards. You can encourage wildlife such as birds and other pollinators to visit your green space by incorporating the necessary components of their habitat: food, water, …
Type: Item Detail
… to feed and rest on their journeys to their northern breeding grounds. It's the perfect time for visitors to study the beautiful nuptial plumages of these water-loving species, as well as … to scoop up food without swallowing water. They will also put their bills down to reach for food from the lake, including aquatic vegetation and invertebrates as well as small mollusks, … looks like a mallard but has a huge, shovel-like bill and a large brown patch on its sides. Visit usgs.gov for more information on duck identification, or use the National Audubon Society …
Type: Page
… cultivars have a sweeter flavor, and both contain high amounts of pectin, so are a good choice for canning and to add to preserves. Tomatillos (Physalis ixocarpa) prefer the same soil … dried plants from the ground at the end of the season with a spading fork. Store some tubers for next season to cut and plant again ( read our potato-growing tips in Smart Gardener ). As … area, our growing season is to short for it to bear ripe fruit. Naranjilla lovers will need to visit a Latin grocery store to purchase the fruit, which is popular in drinks, ice cream, and …
Type: Page
… and environmental stewardship as mentally and physically restorative practices essential for healthy living. While our summer field trips reveal the role of urban agriculture in building … learned to broaden her perspective. “People really do think differently and have different points of view. I try to listen to them and open up to them and learn to disagree. With this … can come in and reserve a space to plant their own foods and produce,” said Guzmán. Paying a visit to a handful of community gardens, Hernandez, Guzmán, and their group were motivated to …
Type: Blog
… These sturdy, stately plants, hybrids of our native rose mallows, are prized for their use as structure in a perennial border. Everything about them is large, from their rich … seed capsules that remain on the plant through winter. Use them as accent plants, focal points for distant viewing, a backdrop for other perennials in the border, and along the water’s edge. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and texture; natural mutations or “sports” are common; new … Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3-8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer moist, loamy soil enriched with organic …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… a hybrid tea and a floribunda parent). Strike It Rich has a spicy fragrance and is noted for its long, elegant, pointed buds. The deep green, disease-resistant leaves are accented with red stems. Plant this rose in full sun and provide room for good air movement to decrease the incidence of foliar diseases. Strike It Rich was a 2007 … century version" of its ancestor, Rosa 'Sutters Gold', which received the AARS award in 1950 for its gold color and fragrance. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… around with the experts at the Enabling Garden and perhaps they can point one out to you. Look for this tundra-breeder traveling in a flock of common redpolls or goldfinches and siskins. This …
Type: Birding
