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  • … in this area along the Metra line allows us to ask a variety of questions about native bees. For instance: Are there fewer bees in highly urban areas? Are there different bees in natural … the lab at the Garden’s Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center and pinned for future study. In addition to collecting the bees, we also record all of the flowering plants … species level. When we have all of the bees identified, we can then start analyzing the data for my master’s thesis and answer some of the questions we have put forth. We suspect we will see …
    Type: Blog
  • … there are many ways to remedy this SAD state of mind. HT ‘Simmering Spices’ supply list for 15 participants Let’s begin by talking about a few winter-themed Horticultural Therapy (HT) … ornament  Another fun, and inexpensive, activity is our ‘ Holiday Greens Ornament ’ project. For this activity, participants get the opportunity to create a beautiful ornament out of fresh, … small acorns and pine cones to add more interest to the ornaments. Most of the craft supplies for the activity can be found at your local craft store. I use clear, plastic ornaments, fake …
    Type: Blog
  • … and if available, pollen from a tree at another botanic garden. They will also reserve pollen for a potential future exchange. Find Wollemia nobilis in the Heritage Garden in the summer … found within the propagated plants, and that their offspring could lead to a stronger future for the species. However, scientists are only mildly optimistic. “In a world where there is so … The Garden’s Wollemia pine spends its summers in the Australia bed of the Heritage Garden.  As for the voyage of discovery with this extraordinary plant, he says, it is to be continued… …
    Type: Blog
  • … temperature inside the hood can be 95 degrees hotter than outside. Thermogenesis is the goal for skunk cabbages,  titan arums , and other  “warm-blooded” plants . The heat creates the … between a skunk (hence the name) and rotting meat. This turns skunk cabbage into a paradise for flies, which seek out rotting meat where they can lay their eggs. “It’s kind of got the … need to come here.’” And flies do come to skunk cabbage. They flit inside the hood looking for rotting meat, then emerge covered with pollen. Then they fly inside another skunk cabbage, …
    Type: Blog
  • … several trees on the grounds, Bartram’s Garden devised a collaborative project with The Center for Art in Wood, also in Philadelphia. The project, Bartram’s Boxes Remix, features the work of … from the felled trees. Each piece is meant to celebrate Bartram’s desire to share his passion for trees and other plants. An anonymous friend of the Garden purchased the three boxes by Owen …
    Type: Blog
  • … takes the idea in a different direction—in a circle, with living branches forming a perfect-for-the-front-door wreath. Imagine walking out into your yard, pruning a cluster of branch … them into the wreath.  Yes, silk flowers are an option. Joynt recommends  www.shopterrain.com  for extremely realistic flowering branches.  …
    Type: Blog
  • … develop an effective, economically sustainable, low-input adaptive management strategy for improving floral resources and ecosystem services. If successful, this approach could be used …
    Type: Research
  • … without any leaves. And yes, you can…with a little help from Jim Jabcon, assistant ecologist for natural areas. The other day, Jabcon walked me through the McDonald Woods and began my … But let’s start with a major clue: bark. Jabcon cast a practiced eye—an artist’s eye, in fact, for his degree is in fine art—over the trees. He pointed out a tall tree whose trunk was covered … with the sinewy look of muscle. That was because the tree was a muscle wood—the common name for an  American hornbeam , bestowed because of the signature appearance of its bark. American …
    Type: Blog
  • … No rain, then too much rain, then...this is a challenging year for gardening. For those who garden in northeastern Illinois, Here are some tips to keep your garden in shape this summer:   What do all of these moisture fluctuations mean for our gardens? The results of the earlier rain deficit may not be noticeable, but many trees …
    Type: Blog
  • … horticulturist  Lisa Hilgenberg happened to meet Aaron Keefer, the culinary gardener for the renowned French Laundry restaurant in California’s Napa Valley. At a conference in Iowa, their conversation turned to the rare Marshall strawberry, known for its exceptional flavor. Keefer mentioned that he would love to grow the plant at the French …
    Type: Blog