… Pride & Promise—2020 Heritage Christmas Tree boasts hundreds of six-point stars, like those on the Chicago flag, that “represent the pride and promise we feel in our community and home.” And Michael Young’s Night Birds, with their neon-lit feathers and abstract style, “aims for a sense of emotional connection—harmony, growth, energy—and simultaneously promotes unity … and joy is really nice because it had two big feet at the ends of it and joy won out.” Based on Hoffman’s cursive handwriting, the installation of aluminum and outdoor plywood will have a …
Type: Blog
… and all grown from seed. It’s enough to make a gardener’s—or a foodie’s—head spin with plans for dinner…and for your own herb garden. Discover these varieties of Ocimum basilicum : ‘Dwarf … flavors. Although the leaves are too little to pluck for pesto, sprinkle them on hors d’oeuvres, or use them as a garnish on any dish. Really nice for nibbling, too. ‘Crimson King’ It’s a Genovese-style basil, with …
Type: Blog
… throughout the Dwarf Conifer Garden. Many of the trees feature entirely unexpected colors. For most of the year, Spring Ghost blue spruce ( Picea pungens ‘ Spring Ghost’) looks like your … perfectly tiered, silvery green foliage. There really is nothing else like it in the Garden. On most conifers, it’s the female cones that are most showy and most often noticed, but on Bosnian pine ( Pinus leucodermis ), it’s the male (pollen-bearing) cones that steal the show. …
Type: Blog
… an orchid and a praying mantis? Or an orchid and a sugar flower? Here are six fun facts on Orchidaceae—one of the largest, most diverse, and most beloved of all plant families. An edible orchid in an ice sphere adorns a cocktail from chef Daniel Boulud, marthastewart.com Why, yes, that's an orchid in my cocktail Noted French chef Daniel Boulud paired with a mixologist to come up with a white cosmopolitan recipe that calls for elderflower liqueur and a frozen orchid sphere. The “aromatic” Platanthera obtusata. Photo by …
Type: Blog
… hummingbird is migrating. It’s perfect timing, because the hummingbirds get energy for their journey southward by sipping nectar from the blossoms of these plants native to … become more numerous in late summer and fall, as those that nested farther north pass through on their way to their winter homes in Mexico and Central America. The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) wears emerald green on its back and crown, and in good light, the male reveals an iridescent red throat. (During …
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… Virginia. Many of these varieties are also grown in Michelle Obama’s organic vegetable garden on the White House grounds. Lisa Hilgenberg in Michelle Obama’s White House Kitchen Garden. The … been handed down through generations, a practice that helps maintain the food crop gene pool for future generations. The Abraham Lincoln tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ‘Abraham Lincoln’) was … Hilgenberg said. “Other cultures dry their tomatoes or make paste. We’re going to put them on our burgers.” Visitors to the American Seed Saver bed can also see the rattlesnake bean ( …
Type: Blog
… Looking for a reason to be glad for the cold weather in winter’s stretch? Consider the needs of fruit … flower, and set fruit. The wild weather fluctuations of 2012 brought the warmest March on record (there were 9 days above 80 degrees), which signaled to the trees that it was time to … requirements, barring extreme fluctuation like last year. Our current cool weather is right on track and looking positive for growers. Knowing a fruit tree’s chill requirement is a tool for …
Type: Blog
… Putting roses to sleep for winter In early November, many of the roses that bloom twice per year (called remontant, or repeat-blooming) were still putting on quite a show in the Krasberg Rose Garden. Even that late in the season, the garden looked … extra blanket of mulch will be removed. And speaking of spring, check out our YouTube video on how to prune climbing roses: …
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… Mealy apples, sprouted potatoes, and wilted celery, oh my! These may sound like candidates for the compost bin, but don’t toss them out just yet. Even if they aren’t fit for consumption, … Brussels sprout, cabbage – leaves Broccoli – flower Orange, lemon, pepper, apple – fruit Corn on the cob – seeds Directions Using a large kitchen knife and cutting surface, cut the fruit and … pad or paint, then firmly press the stamp onto the paper. Younger children may focus more on the tactile experience of stamping, while older children may create a more cohesive design. …
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… I quote: stink, stank, stunk!” —Dr. Seuss “Titan Tim” Pollak here once again, with an update on Spike, our still-growing titan arum. Spike continues to get bigger, not only in height, but … rotting animal carcass, old dirty socks, and even the smell of death itself, which accounts for the plant’s common name, the corpse flower. In its natural habitat on the island of Sumatra … ( Catharsius sp.) think that stink smells great. Photo ©2012 via potokito-myshot.blogspot.com A different view of ewwww! Carrion beetles, dung flies, and flesh flies aren’t responding to …
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