… I just returned from two weeks in Mongolia searching for fossil flowers. Why go halfway around the world to look for fossils of flowering plants when there are plenty of fossil flowers closer to home? … lives in one large, sprawling city, the capital, Ulaanbaatar (also spelled Ulan Bator, or “UB” for short). Most of the country is rural with very few people; it ranges from mountains and …
Type: Blog
… How best to highlight the color of 10,000 blooming orchids? For Brilliance: The Orchid Show , which runs February 8 to March 22 at the Chicago Botanic … at squares of color in the slant of the afternoon sun. The colors had to pop in daylight and for Orchids After Hours , an evening look at the Show with cocktails and light bites for purchase. We tried out color combinations one by one. The comments were brutal. No, too …
Type: Blog
… For the past week, the big forklifts and trucks with their whimsical cargo have been rolling in to set up for the U.S. debut of Lightscape on November 22. Popular time slots are selling fast for the new holiday event at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Lightscape is a festive, immersive trail …
Type: Blog
… It’s a big week for cooking, for getting out the china, crystal, and silver, and for setting a holiday-worthy table…but have you thought about a centerpiece yet? A cornucopia, or …
Type: Blog
… Chester Jankowski, Jr., is the senior horticulturist for the Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden and the Kleinman Family Cove at the Chicago Botanic Garden. He is responsible for designing and maintaining the gardens, and working with the education staff to make all the … At the Cove, Jankowski uses the garden to create an outdoor classroom filled with nature for children to observe and study. He also rotates on weekend duty to water gardens during the …
Type: Staff bio
… Many students I know struggle to find a good idea for science fair projects and sometimes wait until the last minute to do their experiments. We in … Garden are committed to helping make science fair a painless and even fun learning experience for students, parents, and teachers by offering some simple ideas for studying plants. A no-brainer botany project is testing germination of radish seeds in …
Type: Blog
… plants we would target—was developed, based on what plants our gardens deemed important for conservation, to fill a gap in our collections, or add beauty to our display gardens. And of course, we had the proper state and federal permits in hand for seed collecting. The six areas that we explored were typically oak-hickory forests, which opened up to rocky-soiled glades and provided for plentiful opportunity for collecting wildflowers. With an eye for distinct plant material …
Type: Blog
… 115 degrees Fahrenheit in the drought-stricken Mojave desert, you’ll forgive our botanists for hoping against hope for a bit of rain for the plants. Botanists Monica Depies and Rebecca Ubalde make up one of the Chicago Botanic …
Type: Blog
… the plants to the nurturing she found in its Veteran Internship Program (VIP). “I am grateful for the VIP and Garden for providing me direction into the horticulture profession and community. I have reaped the most … transition from the military to the civilian world, she said, as well as “discover my passion for the outdoors and find mentors to guide me to be a more professional leader and demonstrate …
Type: Blog
… scientist, an inventor, and a genius. George Washington Carver did not seek wealth or fame for his work. He found personal satisfaction in scientific discovery and using his talents to make the world a better place for farmers and everyone. I believe if he were alive today, he would have embraced the challenge … agriculture to improve the health, nutrition, and livelihood of people in need, just as he did for rural farmers 100 years ago. The Garden's Windy City Harvest grows out of that same spirit …
Type: Blog