… of Aquatics I work with the Assistant Ecologist, Lakes and the team of Aquatic Seasonals to maintain our lake systems and the 240+ native plant species that help stabilize our shorelines. To maintain this large area, we focus on efficient methods of invasive management while evolving … relished the time being in parks and found it captivating when I’d get the rare opportunity to visit our local forest preserves. These short trips outside city limits spurred my interest in …
Type: Staff bio
… stem stormwater runoff, minimize urban heat island effect, and provide necessary habitat for native birds and insects. Green roofs are growing in popularity. The 16,000-square-foot Green Roof Garden atop the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center is open to the public — it's one of just a few rooftop gardens you can actually walk through, so plan a visit to learn more. A Celebration of Form and Function Designed by Oehme, van Sweden & …
Type: Plant Info
… Rhododendrons are popular woody shrubs grown for their spectacular spring flowers. Within this genus, taxonomists estimate that there are between 800 and 1,000 species. They are native to North America, Europe, Australasia, Asia, southwest China, Tibet, Myanmar, northern India, and … rhododendrons are among the most reliable and commonly sold rhododendrons in the Chicago area. Visit in April and May, and you’ll find dozens of cultivars bursting with color at the Garden. …
Type: Plant Info
… An autumn visit to the fruit and vegetable garden in search of late-season surprises can be rewarding. For it's at this time that all those plants requiring "a long growing season" (90 to 100+ days …
Type: Plant Info
… We built this ofrenda for staff at the Chicago Botanic Garden last year. Ver en español Our family only leaves us when … in Mexico for Día de los Muertos, I was a 16-year-old kid from Chicago who was just beginning to understand what the holiday meant. The Day of the Dead brings us closer to our ancestors … with him. I love tejuino, too, and would drink it every day if I could. As a teenager, on that visit to Jalisco, in a town near Guadalajara, I was struck by the happy feeling at my family’s …
Type: Blog
… Bee pollinates coneflower (Echinacea) , a hardy native plant selection for your garden. Just off the beaten path at the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden (out back … the nut grove), there's a "secret" bed with a big mission: it's a pollinator strip, meant to attract bees and other busy insects to the smorgasbord of food plants growing in the garden. … and fertility and productivity of wild plants, food plants, and landscape plants alike. Recent news about the die-off in honey bee colonies and the decline in monarch populations makes the …
Type: Plant Info
… the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center from the West Road that leads to Dixon Prairie. Before you enter the prairie’s lovely paths, take a moment to look across the … packed, and frozen, the seeds are available to the scientific and conservation communities for experiments, re-creations, and restorations. This seed bank represents a magnificent … these unusual outdoor conditions. Your walk is an act of conservation in itself. Enjoy your visit! VIEW WALK #1 …
Type: Walks
… May on record at Chicago O’Hare (9.51 inches) and Midway (7.65 inches) airport stations. For three consecutive years now, the O’Hare station has broken total precipitation records for … somewhere. Impermeable surfaces such as roofs, sheds, patios, sidewalks, and streets shed rain to surrounding earth and sewers. Although a lawn would seem like a good permeable surface to … Rain gardens often require less care than other types of perennial beds. There is no need to buy bags of mulch, especially if the perennials are placed closer together when planting. As they …
Type: Plant Info
… however. Illinois rose is larger than most wild roses of the prairies—often growing up to 8 feet tall, while others rarely grow more than 4 feet tall and usually less. When growing in … In both ginkgoes and hollies, the male and female flowers, although small, look different. For Illinois rose, the male and female flowers look alike. It is very difficult to know if you … Male plants will not have any rose hips. Interestingly, the bees that pollinate Illinois roses visit the stamens of both female and male flowers to collect pollen but linger longer on male …
Type: Blog
… President’s Day was established in 1885 as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present. It also seems to be just the right day for me to share the highlights of my visit to the White House with you. Smack dab in the middle of last fall’s Cubs playoff series …
Type: Blog
