… hand in hand? A romantic picnic need not be formal or fancy. The secret to making it romantic is a personal touch—something that both reflects your personality and makes the evening more fun. … of our favorite ways to make picnic fare more special—whether it’s homemade or store-bought—is with edible flowers. Gathered from your garden or from a trusted source (no florists or … and dramatic colors (including near-black), and are shaped like little hearts. Their flavor is sweet and perfumed. Conversation starter: the word “pansy” comes from the French “ pensée ,” …
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… a mass planting in the Garden. People look forward to these 41 containers each spring, which is something Soulsby keeps in mind when he’s planting them. By the time April rolls around, … them look full from the get-go. Poking through the red, orange, and yellow flowers this year is an unusual, edible treat: some Lactuca sativa ‘Australian Yellowleaf’ lettuce. “I’ve never … can tolerate cooler weather,” said Soulsby. Lactuca sativa ‘Australian Yellowleaf’ lettuce is a fun foliage accent for a container, and a tasty snack. That’s another trick: all of the …
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… Spring is done and we’ve finally moved into summer bulb season! The annual beds have been replanted with … for the shade garden because they provide both structure and color at a time when little else is blooming in the shade. The leaves emerge in a layered whorl, giving the plants a pagoda-like … of those beginning to bloom in bold shades of pink, red, yellow, and orange. Lilium ‘Nepera’ is a vibrant orange martagon hybrid that lights up a shady corner. Pale yellow foxtail lilies ( …
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… group. Even the number of blooms was important. While much of the secret language of flowers is lost in modern times, the traditional gift of roses on Valentine’s Day still expresses … stem ends in water to prevent the cut from sealing quickly. Make sure that the water you used is room temperature (or slightly warmer) to help your flowers absorb it quickly and easily. Make sure your vase is clean. Dust can hinder water uptake in your bouquet. Keep your arrangement away from direct …
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… flora of the areas we are going to visit. We search out areas of the world where the climate is similar to that of the midwestern United States, and we make lists. Lots of lists. Massive … gasoline in the country, driver wages, botanist guides, food, and lodging. All of this data is condensed into a one-page document that our hosts submit to the national environmental … each country for approval and permits for the trip. Among our goals on plant-collecting trips is to collect seeds to conserve and to look for plants of horticultural interest to display in …
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… spirit to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Jeff Ross at Blackberry Farm Ross showed how easy it is to incorporate fresh produce and gardening into your life in his lecture, “Eating Between the … throughout the season.” In addition to being a well-known restaurant and inn, Blackberry Farm is a fully working farm. Ross spent nearly ten years managing the gardens at Blackberry; now he … helps chefs get more involved in the garden. Morning at Blackberry Farm Even though the farm is a large operation, the lessons learned there can be easily adapted in containers or raised …
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… Home gardeners can sympathize: not every seed that is planted grows. This truth extends to restored prairies that are grown from seed mixes, … development has left us with less than one-tenth of one percent of prairieland, which is vital part of our ecosystem. Today, the prairie can be found only in small patches, and … to a large swath of acreage in the suburbs, she and her team visited each restored prairie site to compare the plant communities to the mix of seeds that were planted there initially. “I …
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… cabinet. Currently, I am in the second year of my research of the vanilla orchid. Vanilla is an exciting plant to study because it grows as a vine with two different types of roots. These … in the wild can germinate without one or more mycorrhizal fungi. As a scientist, my goal is to study the interactions that the vanilla orchid has with these fungi as they mature. This is important because most vanilla farms are monocultures—it is easier to obtain clones from …
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… attracts a wasp that hunts the spider as potential food for its own larvae. Thus the wasp is fooled into landing on the flower—and picking up its pollen—while hunting. So cheeky! A … (Check out more on orchids fooling mating bees with this famous video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h8I3cqpgnA .) Oncidium Sharry Baby ‘Sweet Fragrance’ has dancing skirts and chocolate fragrance. I’m Happy Just to Dance with You Before this dance is through I think I’ll love you too. I’m so happy when you dance with me. The most …
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… as busy ever. Our cool-weather crops include brussels sprouts, spinach, and toscano kale. Fall is a great time to grow vegetables—insects die off, weeds wither, moisture plentiful. If you … Remove debris such as leaves, clippings, and bits of fruits and vegetables. Garden sanitation is important to remove the overwintering habitat for many insects. Cucumber beetle and squash … growing season—with row covers, garden blankets over raised beds, cold frames, etc. Now is the best time to gather plants at the end of the season for beautiful arrangements for the …
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