… or slough. In spring and fall, when you're walking around the waterways of the Garden, look for this handsome (some might say gaudy-looking) duck. During the breeding season, the northern …
Type: Birding
… I started vermicomposting (composting with worms) in April for Earth Day. It has been four months and my worms have generated some nice castings (worm poop) … and airy, not wet. (Note: If your worm bin is soggy, open the lid and let the bin dry out for a week or so. Do not add any food scraps before moving to the next step.) When you have a … other chemicals in municipal water supplies kill microbes. While this keeps our drinking water safe and free of harmful bacteria, it also kills the microbes that are necessary for waste …
Type: Blog
… in sacks on their hind legs, which doesn’t always make it to the stigma of the flowers they visit (anthers are where the pollen grains are picked up; stigma is where they are deposited for successful pollination). Mason bees (Osmia lignaria) carry pollen all over their bodies, … tubes with larvae. For information about storing and incubating mason bees for next year, visit seedsavers.org . …
Type: Plant Info
… damage to our lawn and landscape plantings from deicing agents. What can we use that is safe and effective? A: The safety of both residents and visitors requires that we deal with icy …
Type: Plant Info
… the reasons why a nature preschool is not just a real preschool, but should be a standard for all preschool environments to aspire to attain. Here are my top five reasons why a nature … Most nature preschools do not put a heavy emphasis on early academics. Instead, they opt for a balanced curriculum that seeks to develop the “whole child”—i.e., cognitive, physical, … to read a bit more on nature preschool values. Are these indoor/outdoor classrooms just the latest new kid on the block, or is there more to this trend? Which ways do you find best for …
Type: Blog
… with Beatrix Potter, the creator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. I remember wanting to visit Hill Top Farm, Potter’s home, after finding a photo of children reading by the fireplace in … mother, Helen Leech Potter, who was also interested in drawing and painting—common pastimes for upper-middle-class Victorian women. Beatrix used a paint box inscribed with her mother’s … Trust. Many of her illustrations are directly drawn from the Lake District countryside. If you visit the Lake District, consider ordering Walking With Beatrix Potter: Fifteen Walks in Beatrix …
Type: Blog
… of kitchen herbs to cook with, as well as a message of encouragement they could reference for inspiration in their daily life. After the first retreat was done, I thought to myself, “Wow! … conflicts. Approximately 1 million of these veterans have accessed the VA healthcare system for war-related injuries. Many of the injuries sustained on these missions are unique in that … the day they looked forward to the most. They would tell me how amazing the Garden is, and how safe they felt here. It was music to my ears, and I felt so proud of them. It was easy to draw …
Type: Blog
… Garden. We only visited six of the 25 distinct gardens, so come out to see them all this fall! Visit chicagobotanic.org/inbloom/ for more information on what’s in bloom. …
Type: Blog
… guides to help gardeners identify birds, butterflies, pollinators, wildflowers, and weeds. For the vegetable gardener, there’s the new Fresh from the Garden: An Organic Guide to Growing … the winds are howling and the snow is blowing. Discover what they look like and how to care for them. You’ll find them in garden centers and gift shops. Rain Gauge This useful device lets … and your gardener will be good to grow. Find more ideas at the Garden Shop on your next visit. Nina Koziol is a garden writer and horticulturist who lives and gardens in Palos Park, …
Type: Plant Info
… This year’s cold, wet spring was followed by a hot, dry summer and that spelled trouble for lawns. If you’ve noticed some dead patches or more weeds (like ragweed and nutsedge) than usual, you’re not alone. Although spring is a popular time for lawn renovation, fall is even better. Summer’s heat and drought have ended and the cooler … into their root systems. If the lawn is small, you can pull weeds by hand—it's efficient, safe, and effective. A dandelion weeder is handy for this task. When a lawn is already stressed, …
Type: Plant Info
