… It happens every year—like Groundhog Day—and I have the same déjà vu annually! Each winter for the past more than 20 years, I have supervised and worked on the pruning of the apple orchard … before the buds begin to plump and open, as this is the optimal window to prune apple trees for plant health. Over the years, I have been in every tree many, many times. Some are easier to … enjoy this late-winter pruning project, as it has become an annual rite of passage into spring for me. Our current style of pruning strikes a balance between ornamental pruning and …
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
… 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
… indigo—just patented via the Chicagoland Grows, Inc. plant introduction program and on sale for the first time. Look for them at Chicago-area garden centers, said Jim Ault, Ph.D. , who manages the program for the Chicago Botanic Garden. He’s proud of all of them, but two are special, said Ault, the …
Type: Blog
… Long-ago legend says that cranes can live for 1,000 years…and that folding 1,000 paper cranes, one for each year, can make a wish come true. So it is that the crane is the symbol of longevity and … Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden, decided to make origami cranes as a take-away gift for children who visited the garden’s Shoin House. Each winter, Ray and wife Ginny folded …
Type: Blog
… Terese Adamiec is the grower for outdoor floriculture in the Plant Production department. She focuses on growing and maintaining the annuals that are used in the display gardens for the spring, summer, and fall seasons. She also maintains the inventory of nonhardy plants that are overwintered each year, orders hundreds of varieties of seeds for seasonal displays, and delivers the finished plants to horticulturists throughout the year. …
Type: Staff bio
… Tom Tiddens has worked at the Chicago Botanic Garden in the Plant Health Care department for 25 years. In 1994, Tiddens was promoted to supervisor of the department. Since then, the … lead arborist in managing tree care and risk assessment. He is also the containment director for the Butterflies & Blooms exhibition and is responsible for butterfly health and management as well as the permitting process through USDA. Tiddens is …
Type: Staff bio
… the tree species and the region in which you live. Bonsai in fall color, before being prepped for storage. The same bonsai prepped for winter storage; tags indicate tasks to do in spring on this tree. Here in the Chicago area, … conditions. Prior to bringing in your tropical trees and tucking your cold hardy trees away for the winter, there is some work to be done. In this post, we will discuss fall and early …
Type: Blog
