… you may be familiar with some of the challenges that sometimes face older folks: muscles may get weaker and ache more readily. Falls can do more damage. Your energy and endurance may wane, and your skin may get thinner. Your eyesight and memory many not be as sharp, and your fine motor skills may become … four “P’s,” if you will—enable many older gardeners to carry on. Keeping active in the garden is what our volunteers love best. There is no better place to start than prevention. Since …
Type: Blog
… the coveted royal blue are now banished to the shadows.  Water Birds In the evening, there is a renewed refreshment in the Garden. When the winds soften, the lakes appear as glass, … their roosts. Water birds find this time ideal for fishing, and this “Garden of Nine Islands” is dotted with great blue herons standing tall on the shorelines. Look for them hugging close to … on Tuesdays, the romantic Music on the Esplanade puts you in a mellow mood; and Thursdays get your feet tapping and your body dancing to up-tempo beats of hot summer nights. Why not take …
Type: Walks
… At the end of fall, it is easy for people to think that nature has shut down for the winter—this could not be farther from the truth. This thought is particularly true of people who have walked through the McDonald Woods at the Chicago Botanic … time to reach independence, the adults often need to push them out of the territory in fall to get ready to start the next nesting season.  Screech Owls  Another owl in the eared group is …
Type: Blog
… The good news is that they’re all easy to grow. If you have a spot that gets at least six to eight hours of … Lisa Hilgenberg, horticulturist in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden. “'Red Norland' is scab-resistant and productive. And 'Rose Finn Apple' is a delicious fingerling that’s as … but the sprouts can be frost-damaged,” Hilgenberg says. “I prefer to wait until about May 1 when the soil is dryer and warmer.” Potatoes are grown from “seed” potatoes—small tubers with …
Type: Plant Info
… Simplicity is critical in creating a striking Instagram photo. Here are some tips to help you reduce … to your pictures. The most important thing to keep in mind when photographing for Instagram is that your photo will be viewed at a relatively small scale. Your composition needs to grab the … after stepping to the right and facing toward the building. Instagram is a great place to get and share ideas; don’t hesitate to experiment and try new things. Most importantly, have fun! …
Type: Blog
… and teachers by offering some simple ideas for studying plants. A no-brainer botany project is testing germination of radish seeds in different conditions. Radish seeds are easy to acquire, … Here are eleven questions you can investigate at home or school using the same basic procedure 1. Do seeds need light to germinate? Place your plates of seeds in different light conditions: … by age of the seeds? You can acquire old seeds from a garden store (they will be happy to get rid of them), or maybe a gardener in your family has some old seeds hanging around. Find out …
Type: Blog
… it isn’t a regular year. The heat can be a factor. Expect color, but some years, the display is shorter than usual. “The higher the temperature, the faster the processes go,” Tankersley … there’s been little rain, they will drop their leaves early in order to conserve water and get through the rest of fall and winter,” he said. If you’re a fan of getting family portraits …
Type: Blog
… 2014 Participants Jesus Cuezzi Grower Fifth season Jesus started out as a crew leader and is now a grower. Along with being a master salesperson at market, Jesus is a great guitar player, Ultimate Frisbee player, and amazing role model. Marina Garcia Intern Sixth season Marina started out as a crew leader. This is her second year as an intern. Marina is an avid juicer and loves sharing her amazing …
Type: Page
… to find the seedpod hanging below and to the right of the third blossom. Its scientific name is Impatiens capensis , and jewelweed has some interesting features that make it worth getting … You might expect a plant called “touch-me-not” to be toxic or irritating to the skin. This is not the case. The name comes from a little seedpod surprise. When they are ripe, a slight … the forest right now may be a little tricky because there aren’t many flowers remaining. Get to know the leaves—they are oval-shaped with a gently pointed tip, and have slightly toothed …
Type: Blog
… to give them a second chance to be appreciated—ranunculus, chamomile, and more. The process is straightforward, using things you have around your home. And it’s easy enough that you can do … for two weeks. The flowers are ready when they are completely dry and papery. Use a spatula to get them off the paper.  Dried flowers are great embellishments. Use them to decorate a handmade … in a scrapbook or frame them for your wall. The easiest way to mount pressed flowers on paper is with simple Elmer’s Glue.  …
Type: Blog
