… that folding 1,000 paper cranes, one for each year, can make a wish come true. So it is that the crane is the symbol of longevity and good fortune. Fast forward to the turn of the twenty-first … origami cranes throughout the winter. And 3,000-plus cranes are ready to hand out. Happiness is 1,000 paper cranes…and volunteers like Susan and Edie. From Ray’s original intent comes great …
Type: Blog
… the Forest Preserves of Cook County, including a stint at the Garden. The Conservation Corps is a paid summer internship that gives young people hands-on conservation and environmental … because everybody knows each other in the field." —Ushus Hermanson, 17, Chicago The program is part of the effort by the Garden and its partner, Friends of the Forest Preserves, to build … the Garden’s director of government affairs, who helped coordinate the program. “Not only is it a great help for the Garden’s staff to tackle needed projects, it is a great learning …
Type: Blog
… a lot of meaning into that name: Cyprus was the sacred island of Venus’s birth, pedilon is the word for slipper, and calceolus means little shoe. The lady’s slipper orchid is native to a broad swath of the temperate world, from Europe through Asia. While still common in some wild areas, the orchid’s beauty has made it over-loved in others—it is now considered extinct in Greece, the very home of its ancient legend. And that brings us to …
Type: Blog
… species of moths in the state of Illinois—more than ten times the diversity of butterflies—it is a real adventure sampling the moth species inhabiting the McDonald Woods at the Chicago … moth ( Ponometia erastrioides ) Straight-lined Plagodis moth ( Plagodis phlogosaria ) It is a never-ending surprise to see what new species will show up each time traps are placed. Some … they are resting on; the hindwing only becomes visible when they spread their wings to fly. It is thought to be a distraction or scare tactic to foil predators. Although there is a subtle …
Type: Blog
… Rigoberto Montoya is an assistant grower for the Plant Production department's indoor floriculture division. He is responsible for the day-to-day care of plants, and he comes up with innovative ways to grow …
Type: Staff bio
… Attention orchid fans: our vanilla orchid is blooming in the Tropical Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s a rare occurrence in … Why hand pollinate? In hopes of producing a vanilla bean. Yes, the fruit of a vanilla orchid is used to make pure vanilla extract, which flavors many foods we enjoy. Vanilla vines typically …
Type: Blog
… Flower Mandala Sun Catchers Loosely translated from Sanskrit to mean “circle,” a mandala is a symbol that represents wholeness and reminds us of the connectivity of all things in the … Mandalas can be found across cultures and religions, from Asia to the Americas. The design is usually patterned levels around a central image, growing from the inside out. Using this … of support systems in their lives: their family, friends, and neighborhood. For children, this is an excellent opportunity to conceptualize the many levels of community around them and how …
Type: Blog
… know the extent that urban areas impact native bees. My research at the Chicago Botanic Garden is investigating how urban areas may affect native bees in Chicago. Chicago is an ideal city to study the impact of urbanization on native bees because the intensity of … that attract and capture the bees. Secondly, we use a butterfly net to capture bees at the site throughout the day. When we are finished sampling, the bees are taken back to the lab at the …
Type: Blog
… Grounds supervisor. Melecio supervises four regular employees and 43 seasonal employees, and is responsible for general grounds maintenance, major event support (set up and tear down), and the landscape waste program. He is an expert equipment operator and trains staff and volunteers in safety and equipment …
Type: Staff bio
… graduate program run by Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Flower timing is critical for many reasons. For the earliest of the spring bloomers, earlier flowering provides … spring blooms known as ephemerals, these early foragers would go hungry because nothing else is in bloom. In return for pollen and nectar, bees and other pollinators move pollen from flower … us a better understanding for how certain plant species will respond to climate change, which is signaling many plant species to flower earlier than in the past. Samantha Danguilan is a …
Type: Blog
