… than a blooming apple tree growing against a brick wall — but it's also an effective technique for producing an ample crop of fruit in a small space. You don't need an orchard to grow apple … or spurs, that will ultimately produce apples. Mail-order catalogs are often the best source for selecting trees to espalier. Popular varieties hardy to the Chicago area include 'Northern … the end buds that are more likely to produce leaves and stems. Before attempting espalier, visit the Chicago Botanic Garden's Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden to study the many examples …
Type: Plant Info
… there’s always something to see, something different.” Bundle up, grab your camera, and come for a visit. Composing a winter photo is a lot like writing. There’s a story that you tell with the … branch evenly coated in snow as the sun makes everything sparkle—but that's not an excuse for leaving your camera at home.” Indeed. Nina Koziol is a garden writer and horticulturist who …
Type: Plant Info
… The aggressive root systems of these plants can go down 6 to 7 feet into the soil and travel for many yards underground before surfacing in another spot. These extensive root systems make … thistle Cirsium discolor Pasture thistle Image By Fritz Flohr Reynolds - https://www.flickr.com/photos/fritzflohrreynolds/15143788606, CC BY-SA 2.0, … being impaled by the spines. As you might imagine, the spines provide effective protection for the plants against herbivores. They tend to increase in pasture land, due to the fact that …
Type: Plant Info
… a future on this planet,” said Kayri Havens, Ph.D., chief scientist of the Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action at the Garden. “It is so gratifying to see our studbook … Wood, National Tropical Botanical Garden. The sea cliffs of Kauai were one of the last refuges for alula in the wild. Photo by Jeremy Foster. Seed collecting on a sea cliff Alula’s swollen, … 50% of known flowering plants are estimated at risk of extinction . And you don’t need to visit Hawaii to find rare and endangered species, they are also holding on in the face of habitat …
Type: Blog
… Freeman By moving just a few inches to my left, I was able to get a more pleasing background for this orchid. Photo ©Carol Freeman It may be bright outside, but the light in the Chicago … images at a slower shutter speed. (Typically, you want to have at least 1/400th of a second for a 400mm lens, or 1/100th of a second for a 100mm lens, etc., so the shorter lens will gain … review the images on a large screen and know what will be acceptable to you on the day of your visit. Every camera is different, and what may work for me may be too grainy for you. Most …
Type: Blog
… we spend a lot of time and energy researching the flora of the areas we are going to visit. We search out areas of the world where the climate is similar to that of the midwestern … document that our hosts submit to the national environmental agencies within each country for approval and permits for the trip. Among our goals on plant-collecting trips is to collect seeds to conserve and to …
Type: Blog
… Collection, graciously met me on a Saturday and more graciously waited two additional hours for my arrival. With Pat safe and sound, I headed to the New Jersey Turnpike. As much as … as take care of some additional botanical business. I conducted a national collections review for the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens in Newark, Delaware. Feeling weak after a long day … from the Chicago Botanic Garden a couple years ago. While in the area, I had a chance to visit Doe Run, which was the famed garden of plantsman, Sir John Thouron, and which is now owned …
Type: Blog
… patches, and scientists at the Chicago Botanic Garden study prairie plants and their chance for survival amid changing climates and landscapes. For Dr. Barak, a key question is what restored plant communities will look like. Restored … rainwater and carbon dioxide—they also provide opportunities we can all enjoy each time we visit, said the scientist and former teacher. “I think it’s about more than that [the ecological …
Type: Blog
… styles, is a walk through the history of English gardening. It is also an ideal opportunity for visitors to fill their own gardening dreams with beautifully inspired ideas. A Series of … Garden Rooms The noted English landscape architect John Brookes provided the original design for this garden in 1971, and he continues to visit regularly, checking on the progress of the signature plant specimens that mark each area. …
Type: Walks
… is bee food: specifically, it provides the carbohydrates that bees need. While searching for and collecting nectar, bees spread pollen from one plant to another. This mutually beneficial … extra honey to survive the winter. It is the surplus honey that beekeepers harvest and bottle for their lucky customers to eat. It is estimated that it takes two million bee visits—back and forth from hive to flower—to produce just one pound of honey! Scrabbling for pollen While nectar provides the carbs in bees’ diets, pollen provides the protein. …
Type: Plant Info
