… [insulated] jeans.” She’ll pull on a tank top and place two long-sleeved tops over it. “One is thermal and tight—the other is a Garden work shirt. Next, my work hoodie and my [insulated] jacket are the outer layer.” (I’m feeling toasty already.) Ayse Pogue, senior horticulturist Covering the neck is a no-brainer. “Scarves are a must. I also cover whatever hat I’m wearing with a hood to …
Type: Blog
… unity while remaining personally meaningful to each viewer.” How they found their inspiration is as varied as the artists. Michael Young's Night Birds Matthew Hoffman’s Joy sculpture Tanner … challenge? Choosing joy over hope. “I love both words. But hope only has one “p” stem and joy is really nice because it had two big feet at the ends of it and joy won out.” Based on Hoffman’s … & Promise tree design Tree topper design The tree, topped with a 5-foot-tall Chicago star, is made of stacked rows of mirrored and matte-finished stars. Each row is affixed to a circle of …
Type: Blog
… primrose, and listen to the water trickle into an eighteenth-century lead cistern—the feeling is as timeless as the tiny thyme plants growing between the hand-pressed bricks. So how do we … sure the Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden withstands the rigors of time? Work is underway to enhance the English Walled Garden’s magestical tapestry. Dedicated in 1991 by … Garden features a formal study of contrast in texture and color. Like all gardens, this one is subject to constant change. Some plants overgrow their space and need pruning. Trees cast …
Type: Blog
… the hottest year since global temperature tracking began in 1880. If that sounds familiar, it is: It was the third record-breaking warm year in a row. And the warmth continued into 2017. “Is it hot outside?” Many of us in the United States experienced unseasonably warm winters with … on any of our target species. If you want to make more of a commitment, you can create a site location—your backyard, for example—that will allow you make observations on the same plants …
Type: Blog
… for kids and families that celebrate the outdoors. What’s fun about nature art is that it starts with an adventure and ends with a surprise. For instance, the “family of owls” … as a mother and continue to get the best reviews from Laila, my toughest little critic. Dirt is cool Even when she was a baby, my daughter was intrigued by dirt. She is still fascinated by it, in any form. In the long winter, when we’re tired of being cooped up, …
Type: Blog
… any chlorophyll—the green pigment necessary for photosynthesis—this seedling was doomed. That is the case with all albino plants. The gene mutation that gives rise to albino plants is fatal to the plant, because without the ability to make sugars, the plant runs out of energy … will this grass actually look like? How long will it take to sprout? How easy it to grow? Is there enough green on those leaves for the grass to survive or will it die off like my basil? …
Type: Blog
… Summer-blooming lavender is everywhere these days—in botanical cocktails, in aromatherapy mists, on fruit salads. The … deep breath, and see if you can spot the fragrant lavender. The scent of memory Yes, lavender is calming. But it might work in a different way than you think. Smell is connected deeply to memory, so a familiar scent can conjure feelings like nostalgia, joy, and … sugar 5½ tsp. water 6½ tsp. rosewater Recipe courtesy of The Spice House, thespicehouse.com …
Type: Blog
… Why Pumpkins Are Fruits and Other Cool Botany Think you know what a fruit is? Most people think of fruit as being sweet or tart, juicy or crunchy, or peel-able like a … Yep. Feeling groovy on the fruit-or-not question now? Take the Fruit Pursuit quiz below. Is This a Fruit? Click on each picture for the answer. × Yes, bell peppers are fruits. Fun fact: … × No, rhubarbs are not fruits. Fun fact: We treat a lot of fruits like vegetables, but rhubarb is a vegetable that we treat like a fruit. Close × Yes, maple samaras are fruits. Fun fact: Maple …
Type: Blog
… the best way to brighten your doorstep for the longest season of all: winter? The answer is the easiest kind of container gardening, even for the black thumbs among us. The key is knowing how to create a harmonious design that doesn’t blow over in winter’s first blizzard. I attended a winter containers class at the Garden and this is what I learned: Materials needed: Winter-hardy container: plastic or fiber container and wood …
Type: Blog
… Care Department Landscape Waste Program As manager of horticulture services, Cindy Baker is responsible for the care and maintenance of more than 100 acres of ornamental landscaping. She … Baker has been involved with many projects, events, and classes at the Garden since 1988. She is a regular guest on the WGN-TV Morning News "Botanic Backyard" segments. Baker is also a frequent speaker at the American Public Garden Association's annual meetings and has …
Type: Staff bio
