… by light green foliage. Yellow Form forest lily ( Veltheimia bracteata 'Yellow Form') is favorite nectar source of sunbirds in Africa and hummingbirds in USDA Zones 9 and warmer in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… damage entire landscapes. Introduced as a food source, garlic mustard ( Alliaria petiolata ) is now invasive in woodlands in the Chicago area and beyond. Most of the plants and animals … Action at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “It’s easy to assume the sea of green you’re looking at is beneficial, but buckthorn and other invasive plants can change soils, cause the loss of many … cargo ship ballasts and as an ornamental plant, purple loosestrife ( Lythrum salicaria ) is invasive in wetlands. Photo by Jim Jabcon. Right: Introduced as an ornamental plant and …
Type: Blog
… A favorite destination for gardeners and nature lovers alike is the woods. The Chicago Botanic Garden's McDonald Woods was once a part of a large oak … the natural habitats that surrounded it. Fortunately, through careful management, the Garden is restoring this beautiful woodland. Gardeners often wonder if it's possible, in suburban or … of woodland of their own. Jim Steffen, ecologist at the Chicago Botanic Garden, says yes, it is possible, but your focus must be less on individual plants and more on the whole plant …
Type: Plant Info
… June is National Rose Month and the Krasberg Rose Garden puts on quite the show. More than 5,000 roses … rose to modern-day hybrids. The Rose Petal Fountain, designed in the shape of a Tudor rose, is a spectacular focal point. Along the way, you’ll find roses that were selected for their … garden. You’ll need a spot that receives six or more hours of sunlight. Before planting, the site should have well-drained soil that’s high in organic matter. Although roses are best planted …
Type: Plant Info
… view part 2 Worm Composting View part 3 Why compost? Reducing the volume of your garbage is good by itself. Removing food from the waste stream is especially beneficial because food buried in a landfill causes production of methane gas and … IMPORTANT: only use red wiggler or red worms—see message about worms below A spray bottle is helpful Prepare your materials Fill a bucket with water and leave it out for three to four …
Type: Blog
… plant—this time, a sad collard green—from its pot into the trash. The mess, and the funeral, is for a good cause though. Today, I bravely enter new territory: My neighborhood garden center, … came from, its parentage, care preferences, and age. An Excel spreadsheet, you guys. This man is not messing around. For the likes of me, Wheatley recommends a more forgiving collection of … remain above freezing, which means they can survive year-round in our warm homes. My apartment is hardly freezing (the overactive radiators make sure of that) and I have two windowsills—an …
Type: Blog
… finally push through cold heavy soil, or clematis vines unveil new blue blossoms, there is joy in the garden. When fuzzy poppy pods surrender to a caress, and juicy grape tomatoes virtually fly into the mouth, horticultural nirvana is near. Annuals Change Each Season Visitors to the Chicago Botanic Garden experience their own … at every turn, and in every garden. A grand place to discover the beauty of annuals is the Crescent . The gorgeous, cool-season tulip display of spring is breathtaking. In summer, a …
Type: Walks
… The rock star fruit is trending —with fans, chefs, and researchers alike “It was pretty amazing,” said Susan … help them determine how the trees have adapted to cold temperatures—other plants that pawpaw is related to grow in tropical climates. The DNA will help the team evaluate pawpaw’s potential … a family of plants that includes tropical fruits such as cherimoya and sugar apples—but pawpaw is the only species in the family that can grow as far north as Ontario, Canada. The fruit, about …
Type: Blog
… in the garden, the thought of puttering in front of a windowsill brings little comfort. There is a new group of houseplants, however, that can lead double lives — in the winter they're indoor … sense to change the soil and repot the plant using fresh soilless mix. Ordinary garden soil is too heavy and not as fast-draining as the mixes. Indoor clover ( Alternanthera dentata … in the middle of a border. Its dark foliage contrasts with all flowering plants, and it is quite at home amid pinks, lavenders, and purples. It also sports pale greenish-white …
Type: Plant Info
… then fighting to rule England (in a battle later called the War of the Roses). ‘Versicolor’ is naturally striped. Alba Rose; White Rose of York Rosa x alba 'Alba Maxima' The White Rose of … All-America Rose Selections winner, this drought-tolerant, cold-hardy, disease-resistant rose is truly an accomplishment in the rose-breeding industry. It is a 3-foot by 3-foot landscape, or shrub, rose covered with neon cherry blooms throughout its …
Type: Plant Info
