… In a sunny patch at the Chicago Botanic Garden, a single bee balm ( Monarda fistulosa ) stretches … affinis ), fuzzy and endangered, unseen here before. The rare sighting is a bright thread in a much larger tapestry being rewoven across the region. Once one of the most common bumble … of thousands of seeds and amplifying what conservationists initially collected in the wild 300 times over. Harvests should only continue to grow with time, eventually reaching thousands of …
Type: Blog
… Frost descended on area pumpkins shortly before Halloween. Our gardens will soon settle in for a winter’s sleep, but for now, let’s carry the taste of summer into our holiday mocktails … brought the pots indoors. But if you didn’t, there are plenty of stores that sell fresh herbs. Buy them in small pots and place them on a sunny window, or on a kitchen counter near under-cabinet …
Type: Plant Info
… searched for the 12 remaining dune willows ( Salix syrticola ) at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL. Collecting seed from a dune willow. Photo by Grant Fessler. A January 2020 storm had … sometimes volunteers see things declining,” said Gretel Kiefer, manager of Plants of Concern. “In this case, there was such an alarm, erosion and flooding physically scouring the plants … to the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. Illinois Beach supports more than 500 plant and 300 animal species, and each time a species disappears it leaves a hole that tears at the fabric …
Type: Blog
… Johanna Hutchins was on a summer hike in Illinois when she rounded a bend, stopped, and stared at the rare sight before her. A wild … the floriculturist who oversees the Orchidarium at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “It stopped me in my tracks.” The irony? That kind of abundance in the wild is rare. More than half of the world’s orchid species could disappear within this …
Type: Blog
… what do chickens have to do with the environment? There are a number of ways that having hens in your backyard can be environmentally beneficial. Poultry Pest Patrol Jennifer Murtoff of Home … colleagues at Oregon State University recently conducted a study with red ranger chickens to test the insect-finding power of poultry. They placed hundreds of insect pest decoys in leaf litter, placing some litter in the chicken pen and some outside. A day later, they …
Type: Blog
… Chicago Botanic Garden, and the research project had me sitting on the side of a road at dusk in Pueblo West, Colorado. I sat there in front of a group of plants that produce lovely-smelling … they continued asking question after question, developing hypotheses and gathering data to test them, with their answers pushing them forward, sometimes down unanticipated paths, and … Floral scent and other plant volatiles are important drivers of these relationships (e.g., pollination, herbivory, plant defense), but remain poorly integrated into floral evolution …
Type: Blog
… I experienced when I was younger. People, places, time—all are recalled with great fondness in a single whiff. Also among the list are a number of annuals that are perfect for containers, … Lincoln’, with deep velvety red petals and incredible tea rose fragrance, has stood the test of time. Both Honey Perfume™ ( Rosa ‘JACarque’) and Rosa ‘Apricot Nectar’ reflect the desire to combine fragrance with beauty and disease resistance in a hardy shrub rose. The Chicago Peace rose ( Rosa ‘Chicago Peace’) earned a place at the top …
Type: Blog
… have evolved along with the bees themselves, offering up both nectar and pollen as food in exchange for the movement of pollen from plant to plant. Flashback: Why are insects pollinators? In a word, efficiency. Plants that rely on the wind are at the mercy of the wind: much of the … Pollak says that they didn’t collect much of the bright yellow, talc-like powder—just a few test tubes’ worth (further proof that Spike ran out of energy). The pollen will be mixed with …
Type: Blog
… to becoming an identification expert. Common Cardinal Goldfinch on a flower head Cedar Waxwing in winter Seed Mixes Birds do have seed preferences. That's why there are so many different types to choose from. With the smorgasbord of seed that's offered in a bag of mixed seed, you'll see many different birds gathering at the feeder. This is the seed … by many birds, and a thick yew hedge is an example of a good nesting site. Oaks attract about 300 different species of insects, and their nuts are favored by blue jays who will nest and roost …
Type: Plant Info
… Green lawns can also be "green" (as in ecofriendly) lawns. In fact, some of the best tips for lawn care actually reduce our carbon footprint. For example, … of good, fertile soil. If you don't know your soil's composition, you may wish to run a soil test . Here are some tips to address soil problems and create a healthy growing environment. …
Type: Plant Info
