… blue pea-like flowers in spring. Pollinators such as birds, bees and butterflies are attracted to these upright spikes that persist for about two weeks. Big Ben grows to about four feet in height and width and has grayish-green foliage. Although removing the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… has it all! This 2-foot-tall, reliable, lavender orchid bears enormous 5-inch flowers with up to 8 blooms per spike. Its lavender tepals (outer part of the flower) have dark magenta markings … the intergeneric hybrid (Drumbeat) between the genera Laelia and Cattleya . It blooms from May to June, is temperature tolerant, and does well in partial sun. The soil should be allowed to … by genus and is consistent with their natural habitat. While requiring adequate sunlight for a stunning bloom display, most orchids will not tolerate sustained direct sun. Many varieties …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… To every perennial there is a season — often fleeting. Remember the peonies? Gone in one glorious … in the summer. "Deadheading" is the practice of removing an individual flower that has started to turn brown or shrivel. The goal is to prevent the flower from turning into seeds. Once that … severe pruning. On some plants it means trimming individual stems back to where they branch. For other plants, it can mean cutting all stems back to a few inches, so they put out a whole new …
Type: Plant Info
… scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden, says, "The goal of sustainable gardening is to create a self-reliant growth system—a garden that can last indefinitely without inordinate … of the victory gardens of World Wars I and II were sustainable. These gardens, which helped to feed the troops so that money could be spent to support the war effort, produced nearly 40 … lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour as 40 late-model cars (or as much as driving a car for 100 miles). Install rain barrels, a cistern system, or an in-home gray-water system that …
Type: Plant Info
… that are more short-lived if cut. In the wild, there are 35 species of vanda orchid, native to India, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, southern China and northern … light, high humidity, and good air movement. Because vandas thrive in temperatures between 60 to 98 degrees Fahrenheit, they can be placed outdoors during Midwest summers; during winter, they … by genus and is consistent with their natural habitat. While requiring adequate sunlight for a stunning bloom display, most orchids will not tolerate sustained direct sun. Many varieties …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… and given master classes at Yale and Toronto. She has also served on the GCNA exam committee for over a decade, first as juror and currently as co-chair. Margaret's academic degrees (S.B. …
Type: Event for Calendar
… and other herbivores avoid daffodils, making this one of the more reliable ornamental plants for the Chicago region. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… into our archives, and back 50 years—and see the Chicago Botanic Garden flourish from an idea to a world-class living museum. Told through objects, images, personal narratives, and film, this … staff and volunteers while you walk through a timeline of important milestones and artifacts. To the Future In this original artwork, commissioned for the Garden’s 50th birthday, local artist Sam Kirk illustrates our possible future. More than …
Type: Event for Ongoing
… does not feed on plants and causes no damage. Its larvae, however, cause extensive damage to lawns. Timing & Life Cycle Annual white grubs have a one-year life cycle. Adult chafer beetles are attracted to vigorously growing turf with damp soil, where they lay their eggs in July. The grubs hatch and … back from the ground. Lawn damage sometimes is compounded by raccoons and skunks, who dig for grubs. Occasionally, raccoons and skunks will return to a lawn after grubs have been …
Type: Plant Info
… Native to Central and South American, Brassavola orchids are named after the Venetian nobleman and physician, Antonio Musa Brassavola. They have long, thin, tubular leaves that can reach up to a foot in length and sometimes appear unrolled or flattened. The tubular leaves are designed … by genus and is consistent with their natural habitat. While requiring adequate sunlight for a stunning bloom display, most orchids will not tolerate sustained direct sun. Many varieties …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
