… It’s easy to find fun outdoors—with sticks, chirpy crickets, magic circles, and more. “Hands in earth, … process of decorating it with ribbons and streamers… 6. Cricket Bug Box Catch a cricket (or buy a dozen for $1 at the pet shop). Friendly and chirpy, crickets are many kids’ first … undyed yarn or fabric into a personal style experience. 10. Paint Chip Color Hunt One quick visit to the paint store can send kids off to hunt for hours, as they try to match nature’s …
Type: Blog
… of petals distinguish this cultivar from all other snowdrops. As soon as temperatures begin to warm in late winter, this cultivar springs from the frozen ground and perfumes the air with … sunny days, the other petals open wide, releasing their fragrance and inviting pollinators to visit. Snowdrops are an ideal selection for naturalizing under large deciduous trees like oaks and maples. Their very short growing …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Information System (GIS) Specialist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She is responsible for the creation and maintenance of over 2,306 bed plant maps representing 2.6 million plants. … traditional surveying equipment, Total Station, and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Receivers to survey the plants and infrastructure. For new garden areas, digital data is acquired from the landscape architect to update the base map. Plant maps are generated within Environmental Systems Research Institute …
Type: Staff bio
… the world through artist Anthony Rowe’s eyes. His creation, Singularity, is a breathtaking 26-foot sphere of light and movement from the UK—featuring thousands of points of light pulsing, … behind the work, about wonder, persistence, and why nature makes the perfect backdrop for the digital cosmos. What do you hope people feel when they experience Singularity? All of our works, including Singularity , are meant to transport people out of the everyday grind for a while—to sit there and just go, wow . It’s …
Type: Blog
… well-intentioned distribution by General Mills of “one size fits all” wildflower seed packets to combat the declining populations of bees and other pollinators. The decline of pollinator … important agricultural pollinators, but many of our native bees are vastly more imperiled. For example, the rusty patched bumblebee , native to the Upper Midwest, was just listed this month by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as …
Type: Blog
… As we all know, good soils are the key to growing any type of plant well: annuals, perennials, turf, shrubs, and trees. The Chicago … soils are twofold, having positive and negative virtues. On a positive note, our soils tend to be rich in nutrients. But on a negative note, our soils are heavy and do not drain well. The … to improve our soils and are about to embark on another trial…biochar. Biochar has been used for thousands of years in the Amazon Basin of South America to greatly improve poor, unproductive …
Type: Blog
… and Brownie Girl Scout troop was working on their Household Elf badge. We needed a fun way to teach about conserving water at home—not a lecture—because let’s face it, after a full day of school, 6- to 9-year-old girls would will not sit still and listen to another lesson. I decided to make a board game for them. The main message of this game was a really important one: in Chicago, all of our water …
Type: Blog
… it out, asked around, and compiled a list of our top ten most romantic spots. Now it’s up to you to… The Krasberg Rose Garden’s arbor is the perfect place to pause on a romantic stroll. 1. … Arch Bridge and the Serpentine Bridge—are lit at night. A bridge is such a splendid place for a private conversation and…reflection. The dramatically lit Serpentine Bridge is the path to …
Type: Blog
… know about taking pictures at Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s a great chance for photographers of all abilities to practice shooting after dark. And with a little time and effort, you’ll get some cool pictures … Garden’s photographer, I’ve already taken tons of pictures at our holiday exhibition . I want to share a few tips, but I’d also love to see what you come up with. Post your photos, …
Type: Blog
… a sigh of relief with me. Sigh. We made it. Now that it’s officially patio season, it’s time to get out and enjoy the sun. Which has me wondering…should my houseplants join me outside? Can … now, pots are popping up all along back wooden porches across the city. But if you have little to no outdoor space—like me—it can be a challenge to give your houseplants a much needed breath … says about putting my plants outside: Be careful about sunburn. Sunburn isn’t a concern just for us humans. Plants can get scorched, too. Don’t put them in blazing sunlight. Porches with …
Type: Blog
