… we midwesterners appreciate giving blooms in February, when our hearts and senses most long for the color and smell of the garden in bloom. From the hearts of everyone at the Garden, we … to put your flowers in a vase, give each stem a fresh cut. Cutting at an angle opens more area for the flower to take up water. If you can, cut the stem ends in water to prevent the cut from …
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… ‘Miss Muffet’ and Begonia × tuberhybrida ‘Illumination White’ make a great pairing for shady areas. On the perennial side of things, we’re moving into lily season. The very … hybrids (such as Lilium martagon ‘Mrs. R.O. Backhouse’). Martagon lilies are terrific plants for the shade garden because they provide both structure and color at a time when little else is …
Type: Blog
… morning, when I had discovered the male-female lacewing, butterfly visitors had been waiting for me to release butterflies from the pupae chamber. So I packed up the lacewing, with all of … each of the two dozen butterflies that had hatched that morning, saving our special discovery for last. I got everyone’s attention and announced, “This is extremely rare! As a butterfly … do with mishaps that occur during early cell division. Butterflies have a W and a Z chromosome for female and male, respectively. Sometimes, the W and Z chromosomes get stuck together during …
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… in this area along the Metra line allows us to ask a variety of questions about native bees. For instance: Are there fewer bees in highly urban areas? Are there different bees in natural … the lab at the Garden’s Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center and pinned for future study. In addition to collecting the bees, we also record all of the flowering plants … species level. When we have all of the bees identified, we can then start analyzing the data for my master’s thesis and answer some of the questions we have put forth. We suspect we will see …
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… 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… …
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… 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, …
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… there are many ways to remedy this SAD state of mind. HT ‘Simmering Spices’ supply list for 15 participants Let’s begin by talking about a few winter-themed Horticultural Therapy (HT) … ornament Another fun, and inexpensive, activity is our ‘ Holiday Greens Ornament ’ project. For this activity, participants get the opportunity to create a beautiful ornament out of fresh, … small acorns and pine cones to add more interest to the ornaments. Most of the craft supplies for the activity can be found at your local craft store. I use clear, plastic ornaments, fake …
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… without any leaves. And yes, you can…with a little help from Jim Jabcon, assistant ecologist for natural areas. The other day, Jabcon walked me through the McDonald Woods and began my … But let’s start with a major clue: bark. Jabcon cast a practiced eye—an artist’s eye, in fact, for his degree is in fine art—over the trees. He pointed out a tall tree whose trunk was covered … with the sinewy look of muscle. That was because the tree was a muscle wood—the common name for an American hornbeam , bestowed because of the signature appearance of its bark. American …
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… 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 …
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… of transferring pollen from one flower to the reproductive system of another plant, allowing for the fertilized plant to produce seeds, which then turn into offspring. Adult butterflies feed … can be found at Butterflies & Blooms. Additionally, butterflies are an excellent indicator for the well-being of an ecosystem. Butterflies are highly sensitive to changes in their …
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