… March to begin pruning and complete the work before the buds begin to plump and open, as this is the optimal window to prune apple trees for plant health. Over the years, I have been in every … are easier to prune than others, and some are downright intimidating. The one tree that is the most difficult to prune has been named “The Spirit Breaker,” and we always draw straws to … on production (and which can be very aggressive) and less on plant health. The difference is that every cut we make is carefully made by hand back to a branch or bud, without violating …
Type: Blog
… greatest achievements. Their transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly is truly mind-boggling when you really think about it. Seeing one is a joy. Seeing hundreds at one time is truly amazing! I had the pleasure of photographing butterflies at Butterflies & Blooms in …
Type: Blog
… and relaxing, and something the whole family can do. Ephemeral art uses found materials and is created and left in the environment. It is temporary and evolving. The materials can include anything you find outside, such as sticks, … to size Create a “frame” from sticks and make a picture inside The beauty of this activity is its simplicity. Focus on the process, not the finished product. As you are collecting and …
Type: Blog
… Simplicity is critical in creating a striking Instagram photo. Here are some tips to help you reduce … to your pictures. The most important thing to keep in mind when photographing for Instagram is that your photo will be viewed at a relatively small scale. Your composition needs to grab the viewers’ attention as they scroll through their feed. Nature is full of beautiful detail, intricate patterns, and delicate textures. However, keep in mind …
Type: Blog
… & Blooms exhibition features a huge variety of live butterflies. One interesting example is Caligo atreus, also known as the yellow-edged owl, or our favorite: the magnificent owl. When the butterfly is resting, the eyespots of Caligo atreus are clearly visible. Photo by Stuart Seeger via Wikimedia Commons This blue beauty is in the genus known as the owl butterflies ( Caligo ). They’re called owl butterflies because …
Type: Blog
… collections from diseases, pests, and weeds in an environmentally sensitive manner. Tiddens is a certified arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture and serves as the Garden's lead arborist in managing tree care and risk assessment. He is also the containment director for the Butterflies & Blooms exhibition and is responsible for butterfly health and management as well as the permitting process through …
Type: Staff bio
… School of Landscape Architecture of Versailles. For me, work in landscape architecture is the best way to unite many different and interesting fields, such as art, sociology, and … Designing spaces where people will live and have an emotional connection to their surroundings is my way of creating happiness. I chose to do an internship in the United States to broaden my … the gardens were designed like the links of the city, and learned one of the reasons for this is Chicago’s motto, Urbs in horto , which means “city in a garden.” Through my internship at the …
Type: Blog
… It’s OK to have a favorite. Phillip Douglas, the Garden’s new curator of woody plants, is not shy about listing his top picks. Spending his first summer in Glencoe, Douglas is especially taken with the variety of oaks at the Garden. The horticulturist points out the … the development of the oak and willow collections, and a review of all such plants already on-site. Douglas will also be helping to organize trips to collect plants in the wild with Andrew …
Type: Blog
… The Chicago Botanic Garden is on #TitanWatch. That’s right: if you visit the Garden’s Semitropical Greenhouse, you will see … arum (it’s Alice!). Here’s what you need to know as you watch Sprout grow: The corpse flower is one of the largest and rarest flowering plants in the world. It takes seven to ten years for a … have bloomed around the world recently, having more than one plant bloom in such a short time is uncommon. Watch for these signs the titan arum bloom is starting . Corpse flowers smell bad . …
Type: Blog
… pop up out of nowhere? Mushrooms can appear magical—seeming to pop up overnight. This is part of their mystique. The mushrooms we see are the spore forming part of the individual—analogous to an apple on an apple tree. Most of the individual is comprised of a mass of microscopic threads ( hyphae ), known as the mycelium that grows in the … mycelium growing if you pull up a mass of downed leaves or among wood chips. The mycelium is the long-lived part of the individual that absorbs nutrients and water. Depending on the …
Type: Blog
