… 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 ( …
Type: Blog
… Jamie Berlin is the horticulturist for the Lavin Evaluation Garden and Green Roof Gardens at the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. The Lavin Evaluation Garden is home to the Garden's Plant Evaluation Program, featuring plants best suited for Midwestern …
Type: Staff bio
… Thanksgiving is here again, and we at the Chicago Botanic Garden are thankful for all the pollinators who make … on the image above to download our placemat to enjoy with your feast. The ideal printing size is tabloid (11 x 17 inches). Letter size paper (8.5 x 11 inches) will also work if you choose …
Type: Blog
… order to satisfy their chill requirement. Simply defined, the accumulation of chill units (CU) is a cumulative measure of the number of hours trees spend between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. … meet those requirements, barring extreme fluctuation like last year. Our current cool weather is right on track and looking positive for growers. Knowing a fruit tree’s chill requirement is a tool for choosing the right plants for your garden. Come to the garden for a quiet early …
Type: Blog
… most beloved nature poems in the English language. The poem, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” is a reminder of the ability of the natural world to lift spirits. Wordsworth wrote the poem on … Boyce, the Garden’s director of living plant documentation, even knows where each daffodil is— Narcissus ‘Bittern’, yellow petaled daffodils with orange cups, is under the crabapple trees in the Graham Bulb Garden, masses of large-cupped daffodils are on …
Type: Blog
… walk of the Garden. Or did you say cow slobbers? Whatever you call it, Tradescantia ohiensis is just one of the prairie plants that has a unique story to tell. Tradescantia ohiensis , better … are replaced by new flowers, prolonging the blooming period. Another interesting feature is its other common name, cow slobbers. If you break a leaf, you will understand how this common … form as it stretches between your fingertips. By the way, the “wort” part of spiderwort, which is commonly used to describe many plants (figwort, moneywort, mugwort, liverwort), simply means …
Type: Blog
… pesticides (including DDT), and the creation of osprey nesting platforms, the fish-eating bird is breeding again in local forest preserves. The osprey looks somewhat like an adult bald eagle, … counties. This year, the Chicago Botanic Garden installed an osprey nesting platform, and is waiting to see if a pair will find it to their liking. According to officials of the Cook … off the platform. Watching an osprey grab a meal can be fascinating. The bird appears as if it is going to plunge head-first into the water, but then it straightens its head and grasps the …
Type: Blog
… at workplaces, in government, in science, etc. Unfortunately, the number of women in science is still pretty dismal. Despite earning about half the doctorates in science, only 21 percent of … we recognize that our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is some of the most important work we do. On International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to women in science at the Garden, past and present: Left to right: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D., is studying hawkmoth pollination with Victoria Luizzi (Amherst College student, NSF REU student, …
Type: Blog
… Handmade greeting cards make people feel loved. Here is a fun and festive way to show friends and relatives that you care about them. It’s a great … crayons, or colored pencils Work over a large paper towel or mat, because this project is messy! Fold a piece of stiff paper (construction paper or card stock) in half. Draw a design … on the front of the card. Try to use glue sparingly, because the paper will warp if the glue is too thick or wet. Sprinkle the herbs or spices of your choice on the wet glue. You can apply …
Type: Blog
… From the 2015 archives: It is our pleasure to introduce another titan arum (in bloom!), which we have joyfully named Alice … the Amorphophallus. Given the history below, it’s a name to remember! Alice the Amorphophallus is caught blooming on webcam at 12:22:39 a.m. today—the Semitropical Greenhouse may smell a bit … titanum presented itself, we called it Spike, since the flower structure, or inflorescence, is also known as a flower spike. But the true name of Spike (and Alice) is a title that can make …
Type: Blog
