… when staff, landowners, land managers, and volunteers selected initial species for monitoring from the 1999 Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity Recovery Plan’s priority plant list and developed … to develop the Plants of Concern program – funded initially, in part, by grants received from Chicago Wilderness. As Susanne Masi, a founder and the first manager of Plants of Concern, … 150 landowners and land managers to monitor species at over 600 public and private sites (up from only 54 volunteers, 28 landowners, 44 species, and 62 sites when the program began in 2001). …
Type: Blog
… my first bonsai, I knew something had changed. It was the beginning of a journey that took me from Gainesville, Florida, to Washington, D.C., to Japan and finally here to the Chicago Botanic … State Bonsai Convention. That weekend was an eye-opening experience for me, as I got to learn from and assist international bonsai artists like Jim Smith, Colin Lewis, and others. That … continued learning. Feeling more and more drawn to a career in horticulture, I made the move from veterinary technician to horticulturist of the Rainforest Exhibit at the National Aquarium. …
Type: Blog
… really nice to see that this gets replicated out in the world,” said Foxx. Seeds from their joint collecting trip in 2012 have been added to the Garden’s Dixon National Tallgrass … loves to walk through the Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden when she steps away from her work. In a way, Foxx is also learning from the invasive plants themselves. To develop her hypothesis, she considered the qualities of …
Type: Blog
… represents paradise—a place inaccessible to mortals, designed to be viewed and contemplated from a distance. Ayse Pogue is a senior horticulturist at the Garden, and she oversees the Malott … as if it has been there forever. One of Pogue’s favorite spots to view the island is from the Zigzag Bridge that links the islands of Keiunto (Island of the Auspicious Cloud) and … immortality. Through the ages, people have tried to discover the secret to everlasting life—from Ponce de León searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth to early philosophers …
Type: Blog
… at Butterflies & Blooms, we normally refer to our butterflies as “emerging” or even “hatching” from their pupal state. The correct scientific term for this is actually “eclosion.” If you want … ever popular blue morpho, giant owl, and the great orange deadleaf are frugiverous; they come from habitats where there aren’t many wildflowers available, so they turn to feeding solely on … this can be a benefit, because the monarch can capitalize on the unique benefits that come from plants in the milkweed family. On the other hand, if milkweed declines, monarchs don’t have …
Type: Blog
… affects our brains and bodies. According to the article, “These measurements—of everything from stress hormones to heart rate to brain waves to protein markers—indicate that when we spend … that provides us with all sorts of the nutrients we need. That’s how nature can protect us from all these different kinds of diseases—cardiovascular, respiratory, mental health, …
Type: Blog
… that is excessively wet. A lawn is too wet when you see standing water, or water comes up from the ground as you step on the lawn. In these conditions, the mower tires will leave … has dried a bit. Weeds are more easily pulled when the ground is moist (but not wet). Work from the edges of the beds to pull weeds without compacting soil or damaging other plantings. …
Type: Blog
… early spring is the major pruning season for roses, end-of-the-year pruning protects the plant from winter wind (canes can whip around and scar each other, and stiff winds can pull long-caned … roses plants; our truly dedicated volunteers and staff spent two days removing every last leaf from the beds. Step 3: Mulch. Mounded up and around each rose plant is a thick layer of mulch (we …
Type: Blog
… color after months of dreary gray, so he “overplants” the troughs to make them look full from the get-go. Poking through the red, orange, and yellow flowers this year is an unusual, … ‘Kerbelnec’ Belarina® Nectarine in these troughs. Here’s hoping Mother Nature takes a cue from these troughs. …
Type: Blog
… alive through this plant. This activity can also be done with well-established perennials from your yard. Spring clean your landscape and share with neighbors. Aloe plant care: Keep your … them, add rocks at the bottom of your pot for drainage. When I am missing friends or apart from loved ones, I always think back to Lila and look for ways to reconnect to people through …
Type: Blog
