… When working with a single material, look for uniformity of size and color. The idea is to show a subject off to its best advantage en masse. Direction Attach materials … or wooden wreath base in one direction, clockwise only—the look of an “endless” wreath is much simpler to achieve than a wreath that travels in opposite directions. Dried grasses … so they'll last for several years. Birch bark wreath A few steps down from the gourd wreath is another Nancy Clifton creation, made from birch bark. Its natural curl lent itself to a …
Type: Plant Info
… over the flowers in search of nectar all summer long. A native perennial, butterfly weed is found in prairies, restored natural areas, embankments, along roadsides and railroad tracks, … Magnet for Monarchs A member of the milkweed genus Asclepias (uh-SKLEE-pee-us), butterfly weed is a host plant for the female monarch butterfly, which may lay its eggs on the underside of the … most other milkweeds, butterfly weed does not produce thick, white sap. Instead, the sap is thin and almost clear. Butterfly weed ranges in height from 1 to 3 feet tall, which makes it a …
Type: Plant Info
… The end of the growing season is often a bittersweet experience for gardeners. It signals the end of months of work—but also … blue color well into winter. Elijah Blue blue fescue ( Festuca ovina glauca 'Elijah Blue') is the bluest of the fescues and retains its compact form all season. Blue oat grass ( … flowers complement the slender blue-to-silver foliage; in winter, the blue foliage alone is the attraction. Artemisia stellerana 'Silver Brocade', the hardy dusty miller, features …
Type: Plant Info
… of your own this Halloween. Goth gardening (drawn from Victorian or Gothic gardening) is having more than a moment; it’s been all the rage for years. In 2024, it was dubbed one of … implemented dark, moody containers, sections of their space, or entire gardens. The appeal is in the creativity: Goth gardening features dark, dramatic-looking plants, but it also embraces … elements like statues. A goth garden or container isn’t supposed to be perfect: The point is to step outside the box—to play with personality and aesthetic. It’s a great option for …
Type: Blog
… king trumpet mushrooms, carnations – fresh cuts Sustainability, reimagined The Last Show is a thoughtful reminder of the Garden’s commitment to sustainability, celebrating renewal … The Final Cut , features a coppiced willow stool—pruned year after year until its surface is covered in scars. Removed at last, the stump hovers above a bed of disbud spider mums grown by … Coppiced willow stool, disbud spider mums Playing with dead things For Toth, the project is as personal as professional. “I feel like a kid in our Nature Play Garden where I sometimes …
Type: Blog
… studies have shown that eating local honey might help alleviate allergy symptoms—and honey is known to have medicinal benefits ranging from reducing inflammation to antimicrobial … Greece to the Mayan civilization, and beekeeping has a long and fascinating history . Iris is learning her beekeeping skills from Fred Daniels, site coordinator at Windy City Harvest’s Rodeo Farm, who has been beekeeping since 2012. Rodeo …
Type: Blog
… Is there such a thing as a low-maintenance perennial garden? The answer is yes if careful consideration is first given to plant choice and plant location. Matching the requirements of a plant to the characteristics of the site takes some planning, but will save hours of work in the garden. Astilbe Clematis …
Type: Plant Info
… display on Bird Island prompts questions and reflection from the outset. That reaction is at the heart of the art installation Of Earth and Sky , created by poet Keli Stewart and … Botanic Garden. Stewart will provide new excerpts for the Esplanade as the grass grows and is mowed, celebrating the same themes and creating an evolving experience. Of Earth and Sky is … fit. “So much of my own personal story and history is tied to Lawndale in particular, to a site right across from Farm on Ogden,” Stewart said. “My family’s church [was there], my daycare, …
Type: Blog
… can find citrus plants and lemongrass at garden centers, big box stores and online. Lemongrass is sometimes available in pots in the produce section. Growing a lemon tree is easy and who wouldn’t want to squeeze a few home grown lemons for refreshing beverages or … Illinois. They can spend the summer outdoors in a protected, sunny spot until a fall frost is predicted. In northeastern Illinois, we anticipate that first fall frost around October 15. …
Type: Plant Info
… Artworks by Seema Surana are on display in the Visitor Center; Surabhi Banerjee’s mural is in the East Greenhouse Gallery. St+art India contributes to urban regeneration and community … districts, multiple festivals, and over 600 walls painted across 25+ cities. Each intervention is rooted in the social context, connecting communities, government bodies, institutions, and … with the ethos of making art accessible to all. Murals in the Visitor Center Seema Surana is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Bangalore, India. Her work draws from an …
Type: Blog
