… 'Homestead' is a large (70 feet high, 60 feet wide at maturity) tree that is a cross between Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye) and Aesculus octandra (Yellow buckeye). It blooms with panicles of yellow-red flowers. The foliage turns red in the fall. It is fully hardy here (Zone 4) and will tolerate some shade. It prefers moist, well-drained soil …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The Chicago Botanic Garden is helping increase the supply of native seed at the local, regional, and national … wildlife, and people thrive. Inside their small packages, native seeds hold the power to restore our prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. The native plants that grow from these seeds … change and invasive species increase, nationwide shortages of native seed slow down efforts to restore habitats, build green infrastructure, and grow urban gardens. The solution—producing …
Type: Research
… This brightly colored member of the blackbird family is a common breeding bird at the Garden. It is usually found around groves of cottonwoods and … some 12-inch-long soft strings of light-colored yarn put out by humans, she may snatch them to make her nest. A common breeding bird of open woodlands, natural spaces, gardens, and … northern South America. By May, Baltimore orioles have arrived in the eastern United States to set up breeding territories. To get her attention, the male hops around the female, spreads …
Type: Birding
… Q. I would like to grow some unusual bulbs in containers this 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. …
Type: Plant Info
… The eggs overwinter on the debris and hatch in April and early May when new leaves are 5 to 6 inches high. The larvae enter the leaves a few inches above the ground and eat irregular tunnels in leaf tissue for 10 days to two weeks. They then bore into the rhizome and and continue to feed until mid-July. In late … 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, …
Type: Plant Info
… created designs on the ground. In India, rangoli patterns are crafted with symbols that aim to bring beauty, harmony, and balance, turning negative energy into a positive force. “It comes … said artist Indira Freitas Johnson, who grew up in Mumbai. “It’s done early in the morning to welcome the day and bring blessings on her family. During 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 …
Type: Blog
… Description: If this state-endangered owl is seen at the Garden, it is either flying over, or roosting on the ground, in the Dixon Prairie. …
Type: Birding
… Q. I would like some advice on types of ivy to plant as ground cover. A. Two popular types of ivy are Virginia creeper ( Parthenocissus … ( P. tricuspidata ). Both these woody vines are vigorous growers that attach their rootlets to vertical surfaces. They perform well in Chicago soils, are winter-hardy and color up a rich … of English ivy ( Hedera helix ). English ivy remains green all year as a ground cover but is susceptible to winter burn on an exposed wall and may die to the ground in a severe winter. …
Type: Plant Info
… The Summer Dinner Dance is the most important fundraising event for the Chicago Botanic Garden. We believe that beautiful gardens and natural environments are fundamentally important to the mental and physical well-being of all people; now and for generations to come. This year, the Garden presents Bees & Beyond , a program that inspires a genuine …
Type: Item Detail
… red maple cultivar can reach a mature height of 50 feet with a slightly narrower spread. It is a cross between two popular red maple cultivars, 'October Glory' and 'Autumn Flame'. In early … a blue sky. The samaras, or winged seeds, turn bright red in early summer and then fade to brown and fall to the ground. Foliage color starts with a blue-green, turning to a bright red, then a deep …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
