… and if available, pollen from a tree at another botanic garden. They will also reserve pollen for a potential future exchange. Find Wollemia nobilis in the Heritage Garden in the summer … found within the propagated plants, and that their offspring could lead to a stronger future for the species. However, scientists are only mildly optimistic. “In a world where there is so … The Garden’s Wollemia pine spends its summers in the Australia bed of the Heritage Garden. As for the voyage of discovery with this extraordinary plant, he says, it is to be continued… …
Type: Blog
… temperature inside the hood can be 95 degrees hotter than outside. Thermogenesis is the goal for skunk cabbages, titan arums , and other “warm-blooded” plants . The heat creates the … between a skunk (hence the name) and rotting meat. This turns skunk cabbage into a paradise for flies, which seek out rotting meat where they can lay their eggs. “It’s kind of got the … need to come here.’” And flies do come to skunk cabbage. They flit inside the hood looking for rotting meat, then emerge covered with pollen. Then they fly inside another skunk cabbage, …
Type: Blog
… several trees on the grounds, Bartram’s Garden devised a collaborative project with The Center for Art in Wood, also in Philadelphia. The project, Bartram’s Boxes Remix, features the work of … from the felled trees. Each piece is meant to celebrate Bartram’s desire to share his passion for trees and other plants. An anonymous friend of the Garden purchased the three boxes by Owen …
Type: Blog
… No rain, then too much rain, then...this is a challenging year for gardening. For those who garden in northeastern Illinois, Here are some tips to keep your garden in shape this summer: What do all of these moisture fluctuations mean for our gardens? The results of the earlier rain deficit may not be noticeable, but many trees …
Type: Blog
… horticulturist Lisa Hilgenberg happened to meet Aaron Keefer, the culinary gardener for the renowned French Laundry restaurant in California’s Napa Valley. At a conference in Iowa, their conversation turned to the rare Marshall strawberry, known for its exceptional flavor. Keefer mentioned that he would love to grow the plant at the French …
Type: Blog
… just a bit of effort, you can make your holiday table warm and inviting—and a worthy backdrop for your meal. Nancy Clifton, former program specialist at the Chicago Botanic Garden, shared some easy, crafty ideas for harvest-inspired centerpieces. A Festive Look Here’s how you can make Thanksgiving-themed …
Type: Blog
… Also, Patino is the lead employee on the team that puts outdoor lights on the large trees for Wonderland Express, a task that takes him more than 240 hours every fall. Patino grew up in …
Type: Staff bio
… I am the Managing Ecologist for the prairie and river at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The natural areas I maintain at the …
Type: Staff bio
… meaning into that name: Cyprus was the sacred island of Venus’s birth, pedilon is the word for slipper, and calceolus means little shoe. The lady’s slipper orchid is native to a broad … swept through Britain in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries not only raised demand for the exotic plants of the world but also took a toll on the native plants of the English …
Type: Blog
… a drey , when they see one. The eastern gray squirrels in our region build dreys in trees for shelter and protection from the elements. What you see as a messy clump of leaves is actually … pattern in locations of squirrel dreys. To date, my findings are inconclusive. While searching for squirrel dreys, I did notice two other interesting things I would like to share. Look …
Type: Blog