… history of the continent. “You call it corn; we call it maize.” Or so the 1970s TV ad for Mazola margarine told us. Long ago, “corn” used to be the term for any grain seed, including barley, wheat, and rye, so naturally the new world plant … known as Zea mays— was labeled as another kind of corn when it was introduced in Europe. For some reason, the name stuck, and we all think of the sweet yellow stuff on our dinner plates …
Type: Blog
… As Senior Director of Restoration, I am the team leader for the Garden's natural areas team (including the skilled team of ecologists who manage the … and restoration of native plant diversity in the Chicago region that serves as a model for work in the United States and globally. I am excited to be a part of the New Roots for Restoration Biology Integration Institute , which focuses on the overarching theme of how …
Type: Staff bio
… Horticulturists at the Chicago Botanic Garden do recommend waiting until Memorial Day for cold-sensitive plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and squash. Happy planting! … been hardened off properly before planting them outside. That means moving plants outdoors for a portion of the day to gradually introduce them to the direct sunlight, dry air, and cold nights. Avoid fertilizing newly planted annuals for two weeks. Continue to plant new perennials, ornamental grasses, and roses in containers. If …
Type: Blog
… A landmark program at the time of its conception, Plants of Concern has remained a model for long-term, collaborative community science and still represents one of the only programs of … Concern began when staff, landowners, land managers, and volunteers selected initial species for monitoring from the 1999 Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity Recovery Plan’s priority plant list … Chicago Wilderness region. Not only did the Biodiversity Recovery Plan provide a foundation for monitoring species, the Plan’s section on Endangered Species also recommended that a …
Type: Blog
… As the Curator at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Jess Goehler is responsible for the acquisition, development, use, research, and interpretation of the Garden’s … Geranium, Spiraea , and Quercus (multi-site) and displaying non-hardy plant collections for public enjoyment. Originally, a native of northeast Ohio, Jess has earned a BA in Plant … documentation in Illinois, California, and Colorado. Jess currently serves as the Vice-Chair for the Plant Nomenclature & Taxonomy for the American Public Garden Association. …
Type: Staff bio
… with an impressive array of “superhuman” abilities. Butterflies have unique features they use for socializing, mating, warding off predators, and more! Scarlet Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia) … that humans and most other animals cannot sense. Butterflies have complex mechanisms for both receiving and sending UV light, and they use these amazing gifts in a variety of … butterflies directly to their nectaries, resulting in a mutually beneficial exchange—nectar for the butterfly, pollination for the flower. These patterns can resemble airport landing strips …
Type: Blog
… fact, it occurs abundantly in high-quality remnants of natural prairie. Yet, it is legendary for putting up a fight for those of us who try to establish it into new prairie plantings. Not only does it produce few … the years and remain a few plants. We are beginning to understand why that is, which makes for an interesting story. Lithospermum canescens One unique feature of L. canescens is that it …
Type: Blog
… projects at the Chicago Botanic Garden is designing and building the hypertufa troughs for the Heritage Garden spring display. While our greenhouse staff spends their winters growing … finish, is designed to look like vintage livestock feeders that you might imagine aging for generations in the English countryside. Making troughs is a heavy and dusty job, but the … Once the trough is distressed, we drill drain holes and let the concrete completely cure for several weeks. Once cured, it is ready for our spring display! You can buy pre-made hypertufa …
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. After they have cooled, they will be ready to become instruments … Games to make The kind of dice you make will depend on the game you want to play, but for all games the basic idea is the same. Players will toss the seeds and the side that lands …
Type: Blog
… butterflies and the quality of the plantings. When photographing butterflies, I like to look for fresh specimens on pretty perches in a well-lighted area. Even though there are a lot of … within just a few minutes, a butterfly or two will land in the area. Another option is to look for the kind of butterfly you like already perched on a flower or leaf. Most newly hatched … of the building and the people walking around can often complicate shots. My favorite lenses for photographing butterflies in this situation are my 105mm and 200mm macro lenses. They allow …
Type: Blog
