… team from the Development Department (spearheaded by Lisa Bakker) brainstorm, gather, and plan for their wreath that it took them just two lunch breaks to assemble and decorate it. Monica … like ‘Blue Jade’, ‘Glass Gem’, and ‘Golden Bantam’—in a seasonless sunburst. The French saying on this wreath translates to, “the moon is my light and my joy.” Even the branches of this wreath … The supersized fruit of ‘Ralph Shay’ crabapple dot the centers of milkweed pod “flowers” on this dramatic, dried Baptisia wreath by ecologist Dave Sollenberger. He foraged all of the …
Type: Blog
… Many students I know struggle to find a good idea for science fair projects and sometimes wait until the last minute to do their experiments. We in … germination experiment, use this basic procedure Gather three or more small plates, depending on how many ways you will be treating your seeds. Place a folded wet paper towel on the plate. Place ten seeds on the wet paper towel. You can use more seeds—the more you have, …
Type: Blog
… an ecologist, is that we would be in a lot of trouble if there wasn’t a whole lot of rot going on all over the place. You can probably imagine when walking through our oak woodland, that if … growth form. Most do not produce a stalk (stipe) that supports their cap. Instead, whether on a standing tree or on a log lying on the ground, the cap is attached directly to the wood and … of dead plant material, and all those nutrients and minerals would be locked up—unavailable for other plants to use. Many of the shelf fungi differ from other fungi, not only because of …
Type: Blog
… and they can take flight, seeking a nice, cozy place to spend the winter. Can you blame them for wanting to come into our comfortable homes? OK, don’t answer that. They belong to a group of … in this order are distinguished by their straw-like sucking mouth part, which they use to feed on the juices of plants. You see, they don’t have teeth, so they can’t bite you! These … thicker than the bottom of the wing and this gives true bugs a distinctive “X” or inverted “V” on its back. Now let’s talk about that beautiful red color! Watch one fly away and it will flash …
Type: Blog
… But to Jim Steffen , senior ecologist at the Garden, the oak woodland is a bustling center for natural processes and species, and may hold answers to unsolved scientific questions. Purple … “I started getting more into how those things are related rather than just narrowly focusing on the birds or the plants,” he said. Steffen developed a broad ecological background as he … to increase the native species diversity and improve the ecological functioning that is going on in the Woods,” he said. Early in his career, he successfully advocated to expand the managed …
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 … walking around my neighborhood in Chicago, and I noticed that three out of four squirrel dreys on my street were located on branches that reach over the street. I had to ask myself why squirrels would build their homes …
Type: Blog
… April, that blanket can be especially welcome. If you are like me, though, you just can’t wait for that first day when you lose the covers and open the windows. It is that breath of fresh air … least the diameter of a pencil. The pruning should result in an open center, with the top bud on each remaining cane facing away from the center of the plant. The open center maximizes the … of 10 percent rubbing alcohol or bleach and 90 percent water in a spray bottle to spray on your tools. After pruning, the remaining canes look healthy. By taking a few simple steps like …
Type: Blog
… hardier than ever. Cuttings easily take root and begin propagating anywhere they touch soil. For these reasons, grow mint in a plastic pot, so it doesn’t take over your yard. (The roots are … favorite! Photo by Bill Bishoff Choosing your flavor There are more than 600 types of mint on the market. Here are a few that work best in the kitchen: Kentucky Colonel spearmint (Mentha … water 1 cup sugar Directions: Rinse and drain mint leaves. Bring water to boil in a small pot on the stove. Add mint leaves and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves, and then turn off heat. Let …
Type: Blog
… “Wealthy individuals would send floral specimens by railroad from as far away as New York. For people in the Chicago area, that was astounding.” One fall flower show in 1899 drew more than … site of the future Chicago Botanic Garden; low in the horizon is the city of Chicago (click on image for a larger view) An early image of the Garden’s islands: in the foreground are Bird Island on the left, and the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden on the right (click on image for a …
Type: Blog
… He works with a talented team of growers to produce a complex and diverse range of plants for the Garden's programs, collections, and displays. Clark has been with the Garden since 1979, … He started as a grower in the greenhouses, became plant propagator, and ultimately moved on to manage the department. He has been instrumental in the planning and implementation of the new Plant Production facility being built on the Kris Jarantoski Campus. His passion for producing the highest quality plants has defined …
Type: Staff bio
