… to improve our soils and are about to embark on another trial…biochar. Biochar has been used for thousands of years in the Amazon Basin of South America to greatly improve poor, unproductive soils for farming. The ancient Amazons used a simple “slash-and-char” process to create biochar. This … 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons In the past decade, the use of biochar has been investigated for modern agricultural use, in arboriculture, as well as for general use in ornamental landscape …
Type: Blog
… Arch Bridge and the Serpentine Bridge—are lit at night. A bridge is such a splendid place for a private conversation and…reflection. The dramatically lit Serpentine Bridge is the path to … a great background. At the top of the Sensory Garden is the photo-worthy frame you’re looking for. Tucked away in the Sensory Garden is this shady arbor, ready for a romantic moment. 6. “Want to try a new place?” One of the newest—and therefore …
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… of the Gators) hosted the State Bonsai Convention. That weekend was an eye-opening experience for me, as I got to learn from and assist international bonsai artists like Jim Smith, Colin … in Okazaki, Japan, where he had spent some time. Suzuki, or “Oyakata” (an honorific reserved for a person of high authority) as we would call him, was a third-generation bonsai master and … gave me an entirely different perspective on how the practice of bonsai has evolved in Japan for centuries. In April 2014, I started as the curator of bonsai at the Chicago Botanic Garden. …
Type: Blog
… knew you’d say, “Share.” From a Fruitful Garden Web designer Christina Weisbard has a weakness for fruit trees…which explains the bounty of mulberry, quince, and crabapple jellies that she’s made for holiday gifts this year. Of the pickled green tomatoes that she also canned, she says, “They … out as precious gifts, perfectly presented in a green berry box softened with raffia. Not just for Easter: Plymouth Barred Rock hen eggs are this season’s gift, too. Currant Events Boyce …
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… Life on the prairie hasn’t been a breeze for the beautiful eastern prairie fringed orchid ( Platanthera leucophaea) . Once common across … a passion in scientists and volunteers across the Midwest who began gathering leaf samples for genetic analysis and recording measurements on the health of certain populations. Some … paper with their field notes and placing them in long-term storage facilities called herbaria, for future reference. As it turns out, some of the plant materials they saved are from …
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… to close on July 13 and 14—the first time in the Garden’s history that we closed to visitors for two consecutive days. So what exactly happened that required us to close? And how did the … back into the Skokie River. The Skokie River watershed, highlighted in blue. ( Click here for larger view .) The Skokie River watershed, highlighted in blue. ( Click here for larger view .) The 2017 flooding at the Garden was dramatic. Our lake levels rose more than …
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… Garden, we were reminded of the pure joy that plants can bring. Alice provided special moments for many people—including me. On September 28, at 12:51 a.m., I received a text from the Chicago … This is it. This is what so many dedicated horticulturists at the Garden have been waiting for, and watching for, with our collection of eight titan arums over these last 12 years. I arrived at the Garden …
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… reportedly said, “Let him who hath two loaves sell one, and buy the flower of narcissus: for bread is but food for the body, whereas narcissus is food for the soul.” During the Victorian era, when flowers were selected carefully for their meanings, …
Type: Blog
… team from the Development Department (spearheaded by Lisa Bakker) brainstorm, gather, and plan for their wreath that it took them just two lunch breaks to assemble and decorate it. Monica … a charming mascot dubbed “Mr. Who.” Children’s educator Kathy Johnson used just one ingredient for her made-by-hand wreath: natural raffia. It’s hand-knotted into evergreen sprays and red … at the bottom All summer long, assistant horticulturist Leah Pilon kept a sharp eye out for materials that dried well: the Carex seed pods, okra, millet, dried flower heads (Green …
Type: Blog
… Horticultural therapy has proven benefits for individuals with autism. The integration of horticultural therapy and therapy gardens within … skills, socialization, and ambulatory movement. In veteran’s hospitals, gardening is used for exercise, vocational training, and education. There is one population that, in my opinion, … observed with quiet fascination. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized by …
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