… no small task. The invasive species that the native plants are up against are very impressive. For example, Russian knapweed is allelopathic (prevents other plants from growing nearby), and it … fiery orange flowers. These wildflowers are likely “native winners” and are strong candidates for increased use when restoring habitat in the Colorado Plateau. A rainbow of wildflowers for restoration: Tansy aster ( Machaeranthera canescens ): This purple-flowered plant is good …
Type: Blog
… testimony to the many plant explorers who, in the past four centuries, traveled far and wide, for years at a time, in search of new plants. The story of plant exploration is a thrilling … the Chicago Botanic Garden’s director of plant collections. He also manages plant exploration for the Garden. “Over the past three years, I have led expeditions to Azerbaijan twice, the … in 13 states. The role of plant explorers is much more than finding new, pretty specimens for gardens. The importance of the Plant Exploration Program at the Garden is multifaceted. “We …
Type: Blog
… If you do a lot of pruning regularly, decide if that is pleasurable to you. If not, hunt for some woody plants that maintain their shape naturally. If your perennials have grown into … need to be filled. This is a critical juncture. In order to avoid swapping one huge garden for another, see if you can cluster your remaining plants into smaller beds. Absorb some of the … the soil level up nicely. A raised bed that allows a comfortable approach with a knee space for sitting while facing the bed is ideal. A ledge for side sitting works for short periods of …
Type: Blog
… Garden’s horticultural therapists engage our clients in similar moments of joyful perseverance for their health and well-being, guiding them through to May, when the last frost date finally … on the layers of support systems in their lives: their family, friends, and neighborhood. For children, this is an excellent opportunity to conceptualize the many levels of community … in small sections to maximize productivity based on how much space different vegetables need. (For example, you can grow nine beets in a square foot, but only one tomato plant.) In this …
Type: Blog
… garden, I grow at least one African American heirloom crop, partly to commemorate Juneteenth. For Black Americans, Juneteenth marks the final liberation of our ancestors held as slaves on … So, I’m giving it a go this year, as okra has been essential in African American cuisine for centuries. Native to Africa and Asia, okra likely first appeared in the United States in the … forgiving, and prolific crop. Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds/rareseeds.com Aunt Lou’s Underground Railroad Tomato This heirloom seed is still with us today because an …
Type: Blog
… plant names and plant parts, sprouted a few seeds, and dissected a plant. That was about it for my formal plant-science education. Hands-on plant science at the Garden: a young visitor gets a whiff of Spike’s removed spathe, looking for that telltale stench. Flash forward a couple of decades and, despite now being an avid … trees have pollen as dry and fine as dust (indeed, the word “pollen” derives from the Latin for fine flour or dust). Orchids have developed waxy balls of pollen (pollinia) that stick to …
Type: Blog
… conifers are at their peak during the coldest weather. While other plants have gone dormant for the winter, various conifers are lighting up the landscape in shades of blue, yellow, bronze, … providing a calming backdrop. Arborvitae ( Thuja sp.) are among the best evergreens for bright winter color. Cultivars such as Thuja occidentalis ‘ Golden Globe’ provide a burst … Ribbons’ brightens up dreary winter days. Pinus sosnowskyi Among my favorite evergreens for winter interest are the firs ( Abies sp.). Korean fir ( Abies koreana ) has needles that curl …
Type: Blog
… Fabiany Herrera , Ph.D., of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, together with lead author Monica Carvalho and Carlos … Jaramillo —researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute—among others, discovered for the first time how the tropical rainforest in South America responded to the asteroid impact … important flowering plants. This study also shows that it took almost six million years for the tropical rainforest to recover after the asteroid impact. Herrera highlights that if it …
Type: Research
… be able to hang it from a branch. Finally, fill the fruit with birdseed and hang it outside for your feathered friends to enjoy. If you like, you can add a little suet, but you may find it … any visitors the first few days after you’ve placed your feeder. It can take up to two weeks for birds to discover their new food source, but once they do, they tell all their friends in the neighborhood. The final product is ready for visitors. After you hang your bird feeder, take some of the seed and plant it to see what …
Type: Blog
… When you lift a rock in your garden and glimpse earthworms and tiny insects hustling for cover, you’ve just encountered the celebrities of soil. We all know them on sight. The leggy, … community. These tiny heroes are microscopic organisms that attach themselves to plant roots, for example, to carry out critical functions that support all life on earth. They are essential … line of work. “ There’s a real need for soil ecologists in the country ,” she said. The good news is that the future story of fungi is one we can all help to script. Gardeners, she advised, …
Type: Blog
