… post, we demonstrated how plants respond to the gravitational pull of the earth. Geotropism is difficult to overcome, but that didn’t stop me from trying to make a plant grow sideways … it’s too challenging, it won’t work. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. When the maze is complete, give your beans a last bit of water, and maybe a kiss, and then close the box. Apply … to be sure it has not dried out. Add a little water, but only enough to moisten the soil if it is very dry. When you see the bean plant emerging through the open window in the box, open it and …
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… slow-growing, this boxwood ( Buxus microphylla ) should make a full recovery. The bad news is that more plant damage is likely to appear once the weather is consistently warm, though many plants will recover from the long, hard winter. While plants …
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… might have noticed that there’s actually no way to get to that island. Did you wonder why that is? Horaijima, or the Island of Everlasting Happiness, represents paradise—a place inaccessible to mortals, designed to be viewed and contemplated from a distance. Ayse Pogue is a senior horticulturist at the Garden, and she oversees the Malott Japanese Garden, including … that resemble ripples of water, a symbol found in traditional Japanese dry gardens. The result is an ethereal effect that maintains the look and feel of a serene floating island and inspires a …
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… gathered stories about the most famous orchid of them all: the genus Vanilla. (Yes, vanilla is an orchid.) One unusual story comes from Ph.D. student Lynnaun Johnson, whose work in our … in Mexico, including those of Madagascar and Tahiti. Vanilla cultivation Tahitian vanilla is a hybrid of V. planifolia (shown) and V. odorata . Photo by H. Zell CC-BY-SA-3.0 While in … and hard. At the farms that were in the forest, the soil appeared rich and softer. There is no way to quantify the terrestrial root growth, but I did note that the roots in the organic …
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… (circuit and materials), and seating. The entrance/exit to an outdoor space—the threshold—is perhaps the most important factor to consider when designing an outdoor space for the elderly, … in wheelchairs to cross the threshold on their own. Another factor involving the threshold is the comfort (or perceived comfort) when entering or exiting the garden. Creating a transition or “comfort zone” between the indoor and outdoor space is key. Aging eyes have difficulty adjusting from indoor light to outdoor sunlight. Providing …
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… too? What, with the world’s best antidepressant right out your front door? The magic elixir is a winter walk. And the Chicago Botanic Garden awaits with a prescription-strength dose—miles … of mapped-out walks ranging from 1 to 2.3 miles. A hidden gem, the path along Spider Island is just the place for a peaceful winter walk. I love a brisk walk any time, anywhere. But never is it as urgently necessary for my mental health as in winter. A winter walk is the cure for …
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… work? Let’s look at those roots from a different angle Most orchids are epiphytes. An epiphyte is a plant that grows on another plant (not in soil), but is not parasitic. They’re Called Aerial Roots Of the 27,000-plus species of orchids on the … air and from the leaf litter in the tree niche it inhabits. Orchid Roots Are Adventitious That is, an orchid’s roots can grow along the stem of the plant, not just out of the bottom of it. The …
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… ( Eupatorium perfoliatum ‘Polished Brass’), which at 68 inches tall and 96 inches wide, is one of the most pollinator-friendly plants ever. Eupatorium perfoliatum Astrantia Echinacea Hibiscus Beyond the beauty of the evaluation garden is the science that is happening there every day. Each plant is regularly monitored for its adaptability to the environmental conditions of the trial site, disease and pest problems, and the ornamental value of the flowers, foliage, and habits. …
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… At the Garden, peak fall color emerges around mid-October. This year’s fall color show is not a drastic change, but the colors are a little “off,” according to Boyce Tankersley, … “The progression of species looks about right this year, but the quality of the experience is a little ‘off,’” Tankersley said. “For instance, the cherry [tree] outside my office—in a good year—is a mass of light yellow leaves. This year, some leaves have already dropped, some are the light …
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… saving our special discovery for last. I got everyone’s attention and announced, “This is extremely rare! As a butterfly wrangler, I have released many thousands of butterflies, but this is the one and only butterfly that is literally half male and half female!” The visitors were fascinated by the lacewing, which sat …
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