… the autumn palette, especially when it announces itself gradually, very gradually. Change is good, we say, as we bid farewell to lavender, frothy pink, cerise, and soft yellow, and … pleasantly with the richer, darkening tones of the landscape, and their delicacy of blossom is quite irresistible. Autumn windflower, Japanese anemone, and fall-blooming anemone are common … them. They do tolerate partial shade but not poor drainage, whether in summer or winter, so site your plants carefully. Their bare, round stems are often compared to waving wands with …
Type: Plant Info
… lava rock in foundation plantings back in the 1980s? That’s not what today’s gravel garden is about. Unlike the raked layer of gravel found in Japanese-style gardens, the “new” gravel … ponds offer lower maintenance costs than traditional and chemically treated pools. What’s old is new again. Meadow Gardens Meadow-making. It’s not a new thing—the Garden installed a Meadow Garden in 2000—but the “meadow look” is increasingly popular. It’s called by other names—The New Naturalism, The New Perennial …
Type: Plant Info
… Lawn tasks, including seeding and fertilizing, can begin in earnest. September also is a good month to plant many varieties of trees and shrubs. Garden To-Do List Continue to … soil samples. Start a compost pile If you didn’t start a compost heap in the spring, September is a good time to make one. Begin to layer grass clippings, dried fallen leaves, soil, a handful … selections of spring-blooming bulbs to plant in October and into November, provided the soil is workable and not frozen. Want to see flowers as soon as possible next year? Learn more Plant a …
Type: Plant Info
… Description: The Garden's largest member of the swallow family is the purple martin. Look for them flying around or perched on the large, aluminum birdhouses on … various locations around the Garden. Anyone walking the Garden perimeter in spring and summer is sure to notice the mini apartment complexes filled with purple birds flying in and out of … the martins will return year after year to the same place to raise their young, which is exactly what they do at the Garden. Purple martins spend the winter in South America, and …
Type: Birding
… Annual cicada Insect fascination is never ending. Here are five activities you can do this summer to extend the enchantment. 1. … their shed exoskeletons clinging to the base of the plant stems. A good place to find them is at the Kleinman Family Cove. Please be careful not to fall into the water while you are … cicadas 4. Visit an insect exhibition. The Chicago Botanic Garden’s Butterflies & Blooms is open through Labor Day and free with admission. Immerse yourself in a habitat filled with …
Type: Blog
… Center, Greenhouse Galleries Open during Garden hours , included with general admission This is a story about people with big dreams. It’s a story about imagination and growing new things. It’s a story about the past and also about the future. This is a story about the Chicago Botanic Garden: who we were, who we are, and who we might become. …
Type: Event for Ongoing
… summer. What are the basic guidelines to ensure good growth? A. Late winter or early spring is a good time to consider the wide range of exotic bulbs available for container planting. … Crowd the bulbs closely in a heavy container able to withstand windy weather. Correct watering is critical with bulbs. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch (unless otherwise specified). …
Type: Plant Info
… as moths, ready to lay their eggs for the next year. Damage The soft rot spread by the larvae is the most serious injury caused by borers. Untreated, borers can heavily infest iris plantings, destroying many plants. Treatment & Solutions Sanitation is critical to successful control of borers. Cleaning up and destroying all plant debris in the …
Type: Plant Info
… the day, people walk over it, and it’s obliterated. She does it again the next day.” Johnson is creating two large rangolis for The Orchid Show: India Blooms, set beside bright blue wooden … flour, turmeric powder, earth, flower petals, and leaves. “One of the goals of this project is to discover through dialog, art, and ritual, the commonality of our human experience, and the …
Type: Blog
… a Christmas tree this month, select one with firm needles that don’t drop off when the tree is raised up a few inches and dropped to the ground. The bottom of the stump should be moist with … are the balsam and white firs; red, white and Scots pines; and Douglas fir. Once the tree is at home, cut another 2 inches off the stump and immediately plunge the tree into a bucket of warm water. It’s not necesssary to add preservatives to the water. Make sure the stand is full of water each day. A freshly cut tree can take up as much as one gallon of water in a …
Type: Plant Info
