… testimony to the many plant explorers who, in the past four centuries, traveled far and wide, for years at a time, in search of new plants. The story of plant exploration is a thrilling … and foreign botanists often risked their lives to serve the sciences and arts that depended on plants. Their work took them into the wilderness, across jungles, through deserts and swamps. … is dedicated to building its permanent collections. The Garden’s living collections focus on plants from around the world that grow well in the Chicago area and are adapted to the local …
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… London high society. Nope, we’re too busy looking at the wisteria . The show is based on the popular series of novels by bestselling author Julia Quinn. With all of its gorgeous … trees. You’ll breathe in the sweet fragrance of artfully pruned wisteria vines, trained on columns. Wisteria, a trademark in the Bridgerton series, is lovely, but the growing season is … or passionflower. On Bridgerton , masses of lush wisteria are twining everywhere—a metaphor for all of the romantic entanglements? Artistic license? No judgments. But alas, senior …
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… Take a break from the news and ease your stress with soothing plants that bring calm, comfort, and peace of mind. These … of the corsage industry back when young couples wore boutonnières and corsages when going out on dates. Keep gardenia in a sun-filled window for your very own oasis of calm and relaxation. Lavender Lavender has long been cultivated for …
Type: Blog
… 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 … size and shape. But no—especially not in a natural woodland like this. A tree’s habit depends on where it is growing—how crowded it is by other trees and what it has to do to catch some sunlight. “Any tree will change its habit depending on what is given to it,” he said as we walked into the woods. “You can probably get 100 trees in …
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… No rain, then too much rain, then...this is a challenging year for gardening. For those who garden in northeastern Illinois, Here are some tips to keep your … in the last several years. Both drought and extreme wet conditions can have a profound impact on soil health. The two extremes —too dry, too wet—prevent roots from taking in nutrients and … into the leaves where it evaporates. The leaves of some plants, like Annabelle hydrangea, wilt on hot, sunny days to help reduce evaporation, but they perk back up at night. When the soil is …
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… ones to get their hands dirty as they explore the natural world. We’ve got lots of ideas for projects you can do at home to get kids thinking about plants and how they grow. Here’s how … band. Draw the eyes and mouth with a permanent marker. Soak the head in water and place it on a plate in a warm location. Keep it moist and wait for the “hair” to grow. In about a week, … likely to have smaller options. The ball can be spherical as shown here or oblong, depending on what you prefer. I put the knot in the back of this head and drew the mouth along the toe seam …
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… plants and contain seeds. So pumpkins are fruits. What about tomatoes? Yep. Feeling groovy on the fruit-or-not question now? Take the Fruit Pursuit quiz below. Is This a Fruit? Click on each picture for the answer. × Yes, bell peppers are fruits. Fun fact: Red bell peppers are green peppers that …
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… with the macabre—also shows in the jack-o-lantern characters Obenchain created for HallowFest, the Garden’s former celebration of Halloween. Riley Obenchain poses with some … long, pointy teeth of a massive pumpkin. The little guy has a sort of “Oh, no, Mr. Bill” look on his face. The big, toothy smile on another jack-o-lantern gives a mixed message. Obenchain describes it as an …
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… or paper bag Instructions: 1. Cut open a paper grocery bag or use newspaper to spread out on a table. This creates a clear work space for your child and makes clean up a breeze. 2. Grab a small pail to make the mud in. Let your … mud, doing heavy work, getting our hands dirty with earth, and imaginative play. So trust us on this one, your garden/yard will eventually return to its original state. But in the meantime, …
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… orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. It's extra challenging, but totally possible, even on the rainiest, grayest, most muddy early spring day. There are always gorgeous hues shining … and subtract the blah by turning food into art. Use what you have in the fridge, and look for fruits or veggies in a fun variety of colors, which is not too hard to do since they are … gorgeous shades of the rainbow naturally. Wash, slice, and arrange a variety of fresh produce on a serving dish like it was paint on a canvas. So yummy, and almost too pretty to eat! Rainbow …
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