… People don’t always think of the Garden as a place to read, but we have the perfect backdrop for your escape into another world. Don’t wait until after the weather turns; grab a book and … We asked Leora Siegel, senior director of the Lenhardt Library , to recommend some books for you to read at the Garden. Two of the recommended selections are available as e-books ; the … when it eventually reopens or are available now from online sellers, including smile.amazon.com (your purchases through this link support the Chicago Botanic Garden, if you designate us as …
Type: Blog
… Cutie Patootie, and Diva. The availability of low-growing varieties makes them perfect for containers. While dahlias receive a standing ovation for their color and form, they have no scent, making them an ideal bloom for people with allergies. Devoted followers highlighted ease of growing as an attribute. …
Type: Blog
… Garden. But dig a little deeper (literally and figuratively), and you’ll find the reason for that slope: the “hill” is actually the remnants of a glacier. Its proper name is the Highland … of the country; a secondary divide travels along our edge of Lake Michigan. A helpful map for visualizing the ups and downs of the moraines and the valleys in between. Source: Luman, … LiDAR map courtesy of the Illinois State Geological Survey. Planning & Planting Planning for the bike/pedestrian path included much deliberation about the plants that were already …
Type: Blog
… hidden beauty is revealed—as long as you keep your eyes open. A coworker recently told me, for instance, that she never had noticed the red twig dogwood in a Garden parking lot until … to her one winter. Now, on the grayest of days, when she passes that spot, she always looks for that pop of color. You’ll make your own discoveries, whether you’re walking at the Chicago … in a forest preserve, or at another favorite spot. I’ve got a few suggestions on what to look for in winter; download the GardenGuide app to help you find and learn more about specific …
Type: Blog
… the Midwest Region of the Haiku Society of America, the Chicago Botanic Garden put out a call for submissions for haiku poems. After careful review of hundreds of submissions, we’re excited to share our selected poems from Garden enthusiasts everywhere for National Poetry Month. Get lost in these beautiful haiku poems paying tribute to the Helen …
Type: Blog
… meadia : A Must-see of the Prairie Question: Which one of these is NOT a common name for this handsome spring ephemeral? Shooting star Prairie pointer Prairie primrose Roosterheads Pride of Ohio Answer: Shooting star is the most common name for this species, at least in the Midwest. The plant’s myriad arching flower stalks sporting … a common name, but one that I created. Not very colorful, but this could very easily be a name for this species, since it commonly occurs in prairies and is a member of the primrose family. …
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… For one December session of our Plant Explorers after school program at Chicago International Charter School—Irving Park, the students made living ornaments for the holidays. This tiny terrarium project can have a calming influence on a potentially … more relaxed. It requires you to find some live moss, but it makes an extra special decoration for kids—and adults—who love plants. The finished moss terrarium ornament A fillable plastic …
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… the annual Woman’s Board Fall Bulb Sale is online only. You’ll be able to shop at your leisure for hundreds of varieties of bulbs imported directly from growers in Holland. The members’ … 9 to 10 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where you can take in the fall color . Can’t wait for spring? The sale also offers several fall-blooming bulbs that you can plant immediately for flowering this fall (see the Colchicum selections). Here are some tips and suggestions to …
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… My top pick for cool new plant species? The media has called it grotesque and compared to an eyeless worm. … when researchers stumble on a species unknown to science. Here are five of my favorite recent news stories on orchids: Gastrodia agnicellus , by Rick Burian, courtesy of the Royal Botanic … across a crested fringed orchid (Platanthera cristata) , which no one had seen in the state for nearly 20 years. It’s always a feel-good story to learn that a plant has been rediscovered …
Type: Blog
… Botanic Garden. A room in the basement of the Regenstein Center is the hive of repair activity for the Model Railroad Garden. There are also ghost trains for Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns . That is why there is a staff of three year-round engineers … They also invent their own fixes. They have to. Cubs fans in fresh whites never lose hope for their team winning one day. “The Amtrak train hasn’t been made since 2004; we couldn’t get …
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