… Looking for a reason to be glad for the cold weather in winter’s stretch? Consider the needs of fruit trees. Fruit trees need to … fluctuation like last year. Our current cool weather is right on track and looking positive for growers. Knowing a fruit tree’s chill requirement is a tool for choosing the right plants for …
Type: Blog
… Even when the kids have schoolwork, it’s still important for them to play outside. Outdoor activities encourage creativity and independent thinking. The good news is that outdoor play time has many benefits ; a growing body of research shows that nature … Paint with mud. Why use regular paint when mud is so much more fun? Swap out watercolors for mud, and ditch brushes for hands to create all-natural art. Take sustainability up a notch by …
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… Christian Acevedo, a Garden intern from Miami Dade College through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. He did research for Budburst , a project by the Chicago Botanic Garden to work with community scientists and … of native plants. Researchers are studying whether nativars provide the same resources for pollinators as their wild cousins. Understanding variation in pollinator attraction between …
Type: Blog
… southwest are estimated to be well over 1,000 years old. They have been part of human culture for millennia wherever they are found. Young acorns on a Quercus imbricaria Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' leaves and fruit Acorns have been sources of food during starvation years for civilizations in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America. Some species are noted for having lower levels of tannins in the acorns ( Quercus kelloggii in California) and have been …
Type: Blog
… If you carve a pumpkin for Halloween or make a pumpkin pie from scratch, you’re going to have a lot of pumpkin seeds. … in a single layer on the paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes to dry them. Store them in a plastic bag or airtight container. These seeds were baked for just over 30 minutes at 300 degrees. After they have cooled, they will be ready to become …
Type: Blog
… Holiday plants and flowers make great gifts for everyone on your shopping lists. They are perfect gifts for family members, the host and hostess of the holiday parties you attend, and of course, are beautiful for decorating your own home. Plus, they can be enjoyed long after the holiday season is over, …
Type: Blog
… prevailing idea is that mulch is a definitive weed barrier. I hate to be the bearer of sad news, but the answer to that one is, well…have you noticed that weeds will grow quite well from … break down or compost into smaller, organically beneficial material. But its primary benefit for trees and shrubs is threefold: To protect and optimize the root zone To protect the trunk, … laterally; branching out into progressively smaller and finer filaments that probe the soil for water, oxygen, and nutrients. Research has found that the smallest of these roots can be the …
Type: Blog
… orchids native to Asia. And we’re pampering 10,000 other orchids so they’ll be in full flower for Asia in Bloom: The Orchid Show. Lighting crews, horticulturists, and dozens of other staff … The narrative includes fairies, native headhunters, and the secret ingredient (we cannot vouch for this, sorry) in love potions. From dream to reality Here’s a peek at how we make our design ideas happen: Gabriel Hutchison’s Japanese tea house sketch illustrates his concept for the show. This idea for an entryway was inspired by a modern Japanese tea house. It started …
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… As early as Dracula in 1931, wolfsbane casually replaced garlic as a repellent for vampires in film. Nevertheless, the correlation of wolfsbane with the supernatural predates … was said to be used by witches in spells and potions and was one of several ingredients for an ointment that, when applied to a broom, could facilitate flight. Stories also … in mountainous areas across the northern half of the globe and are also planted in gardens for their deep purple blooms, which continue flowering long after other perennials fade for the …
Type: Blog
… disease-resistant and low-maintenance trees. Their dense canopy provides ample shade for a hot summer day, and the heart-shaped leaves turn an outstanding gold color in the fall. … central leader, and can reach a height of more than 50 feet when mature—a great landscape tree for the Chicago region. Twice a year, working carefully, twig by twig, a crew of four to five … Department prunes all 28 trees in the Linden Allée to precise measurements—once in the winter for shaping, and once in the summer for detail grooming. The design is very uniform and creates a …
Type: Blog
