Search

  • …   “Plant physiologists have understood the environmental factors that lead to fall color for many years. However, each of the 1,391 different taxa of trees and 2,319 taxa of shrubs here … own genetics, and, of course, the weather. A warm and dry September can mean a late start for color. Don’t miss a chance to see the full palette of fall color at the Chicago Botanic … fall walk  or use our virtual guide: our  Garden Guide app .  Check out our infographic below for the full fall story in living color. Want to share our infographic?  Download a print version …
    Type: Blog
  • … it comes to controlling invasive plants, a little faith can’t hurt. This is particularly true for garlic mustard  (Alliaria petiolata). We have been struggling to get this highly invasive biennial plant under control at the Chicago Botanic Garden for more than 20 years. When I first began working on restoration of our 100-acre Mary Mix … is having a significant negative effect on garlic mustard (see  woodsandprairie.blogspot.com ). Observers have reported an almost complete absence of garlic mustard in areas that are …
    Type: Blog
  • … be contained in its pot. Roots growing out of and over the edge of a pot signal that it’s time for re-potting—which gives you the opportunity to examine your plant for overall root health. Plump, green roots look and are healthy; yellow, spotted, black, or dried out roots indicate that it’s time to re-think how you’re caring for your orchid. Roots Can Rot Overwatering is the number one threat to an orchid plant. Orchid …
    Type: Blog
  • … be able to hang it from a branch. Finally, fill the fruit with birdseed and hang it outside for your feathered friends to enjoy. If you like, you can add a little suet, but you may find it … any visitors the first few days after you’ve placed your feeder. It can take up to two weeks for birds to discover their new food source, but once they do, they tell all their friends in the neighborhood. The final product is ready for visitors. After you hang your bird feeder, take some of the seed and plant it to see what …
    Type: Blog
  • …   An edible orchid in an ice sphere adorns a cocktail from chef Daniel Boulud, marthastewart.com Why, yes, that's an orchid in my cocktail Noted French chef Daniel Boulud paired with a mixologist to come up with a white cosmopolitan recipe that calls for elderflower liqueur and a frozen orchid sphere. The “aromatic” Platanthera obtusata. Photo by … hybrid in your name with the Royal Horticultural Society (the official international register) for $1,500. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind... until bloom time. Orchid boarding school Some nurseries …
    Type: Blog
  • … have dropped their leaves, the scenery appears brown and boring UNLESS you know what to look for. I’m talking about tree bark. Learning to identify trees by their bark can be a fun winter challenge. For starters, I’d like to share one of my favorites: the hackberry,  Celtis occidentalis . … trail near Parking Lot 4. The large tree to the left of the bridge is a hackberry. One reason for the popularity of this tree is that the fruits—hackberries—feed birds, squirrels, and other …
    Type: Blog
  • … Following her internship, in the next seven years, Raue worked as a horticulturist for the Farwell Landscape Garden, Native Plant Garden, Graham Bulb Garden, and Aquatic Garden. She transferred to Plant Production as a grower for indoor floriculture in 1996 and then to the nursery as a grower in 2001. Raue was promoted to …
    Type: Staff bio
  • … Garden. The first significant snowfall of the season gives the Garden a perfect white coat for winter. What better reason for a walk through the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden ? Many consider winter to be the …
    Type: Blog
  • … thistle ( Cirsium pitcheri) , federally listed as threatened, is both a critical nectar source for migrating monarchs and supports a rich diversity of insect visitors that forage for both nectar and pollen. A 2016 pollination network study found that C. pitcheri attracts the …
    Type: Research
  • … of kitchen herbs to cook with, as well as a message of encouragement they could reference for inspiration in their daily life. After the first retreat was done, I thought to myself, “Wow! … conflicts. Approximately 1 million of these veterans have accessed the VA healthcare system for war-related injuries. Many of the injuries sustained on these missions are unique in that … Other common injuries sustained from these missions include musculoskeletal and missing limbs. For some, reintegration into civilian life, family, society, and employment may be difficult. In …
    Type: Blog