… Life on the prairie hasn’t been a breeze for the beautiful eastern prairie fringed orchid ( Platanthera leucophaea) . Once common across … a passion in scientists and volunteers across the Midwest who began gathering leaf samples for genetic analysis and recording measurements on the health of certain populations. Some … paper with their field notes and placing them in long-term storage facilities called herbaria, for future reference. As it turns out, some of the plant materials they saved are from …
Type: Blog
… Circle, Ring, Wreath This is a BIG wreath—great for an outdoor wall. Flint. Dent. Sweet. Flour. Pod. Pop. Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden … a charming mascot dubbed “Mr. Who.” Children’s educator Kathy Johnson used just one ingredient for her made-by-hand wreath: natural raffia. It’s hand-knotted into evergreen sprays and red … team from the Development Department (spearheaded by Lisa Bakker) brainstorm, gather, and plan for their wreath that it took them just two lunch breaks to assemble and decorate it. All summer …
Type: Blog
… reportedly said, “Let him who hath two loaves sell one, and buy the flower of narcissus: for bread is but food for the body, whereas narcissus is food for the soul.” During the Victorian era, when flowers were selected carefully for their meanings, …
Type: Blog
… the Midwest Region of the Haiku Society of America, the Chicago Botanic Garden put out a call for submissions for haiku poems. After careful review of hundreds of submissions, we’re excited to share our selected poems from Garden enthusiasts everywhere for National Poetry Month. Get lost in these beautiful haiku poems paying tribute to the Helen …
Type: Blog
… Horticultural therapy has proven benefits for individuals with autism. The integration of horticultural therapy and therapy gardens within … skills, socialization, and ambulatory movement. In veteran’s hospitals, gardening is used for exercise, vocational training, and education. There is one population that, in my opinion, … observed with quiet fascination. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized by …
Type: Blog
… People don’t always think of the Garden as a place to read, but we have the perfect backdrop for your escape into another world. Don’t wait until after the weather turns; grab a book and … We asked Leora Siegel, senior director of the Lenhardt Library , to recommend some books for you to read at the Garden. Two of the recommended selections are available as e-books ; the … when it eventually reopens or are available now from online sellers, including smile.amazon.com (your purchases through this link support the Chicago Botanic Garden, if you designate us as …
Type: Blog
… Cutie Patootie, and Diva. The availability of low-growing varieties makes them perfect for containers. While dahlias receive a standing ovation for their color and form, they have no scent, making them an ideal bloom for people with allergies. Devoted followers highlighted ease of growing as an attribute. …
Type: Blog
… and festive way to show friends and relatives that you care about them. It’s a great project for kids who need something to do. (It’s also a way to use up some of those 20-year-old spices … the crease to apply them to your picture. It helps if you make the glue design for one spice at a time, and let each spice dry before putting a new one on. When each spice has dried, shake the card to remove excess, and apply glue for the next spice. This reduces blending. Cream of tartar dries white to make this snowman. …
Type: Blog
… For one December session of our Plant Explorers after school program at Chicago International Charter School—Irving Park, the students made living ornaments for the holidays. This tiny terrarium project can have a calming influence on a potentially … more relaxed. It requires you to find some live moss, but it makes an extra special decoration for kids—and adults—who love plants. The finished moss terrarium ornament A fillable plastic …
Type: Blog
… meadia : A Must-see of the Prairie Question: Which one of these is NOT a common name for this handsome spring ephemeral? Shooting star Prairie pointer Prairie primrose Roosterheads Pride of Ohio Answer: Shooting star is the most common name for this species, at least in the Midwest. The plant’s myriad arching flower stalks sporting … a common name, but one that I created. Not very colorful, but this could very easily be a name for this species, since it commonly occurs in prairies and is a member of the primrose family. …
Type: Blog
