… Tiers of feathery downy bluish foliage on a broadly upright habit provide a 'soft' texture to the landscape 12 months a year. Hardy in the Chicago area when provided sun to partial shaded conditions in moisure retentive soils. Deer don't find the foliage particularly tasty to eat. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Violet-blue flowers are produced continuously from June to early September on this nonhardy perennial adapted to full sun and dry soils. The flowers are attractive to a wide range of pollinators, and the leaves contain a fragrance that deer and rabbits do not …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… the McDonald Woods, which wrap around the northeastern edge of the Chicago Botanic Garden. But to Jim Steffen , senior ecologist at the Garden, the oak woodland is a bustling center for natural processes and species, and may hold answers to unsolved scientific questions. Purple milkweed ( Asclepias purpurascens ) blooms in the …
Type: Blog
… in trees for shelter and protection from the elements. What you see as a messy clump of leaves is actually a structure formed from sticks and then lined with leaves and other materials to make it a dry and cozy home. This month I was walking around my neighborhood in Chicago, and I … of four squirrel dreys on my street were located on branches that reach over the street. I had to ask myself why squirrels would build their homes in such a dangerous place. If the squirrel …
Type: Blog
… that overlook Lake Michigan: these are the magnets that attract people interested in history to visit cemeteries. We will explore both Lake Forest and Graceland cemeteries. Students should be able to walk at least one mile and must provide their own transportation to the off-property locations. Limited to 12 students. The School’s CEUs=12 hours FPC elective …
Type: Item Detail
… New! Assemble and decorate a gingerbread house in this cooking class. Learn how to make royal icing and use a pastry bag. As students decorate, a light dinner will be prepared … with cabbage and buttered noodles. Decorations will be provided; students are encouraged to bring additional candies to add to their 4- x 6- x 8-inch house. Mary Kay Gill, professional culinary instructor ITW …
Type: Item Detail
… decorative flowers shade towards cream in their centers. This cultivar blooms from July up to the first hard frosts - typically around mid-October. The sturdy stems may need staking in high-wind impact areas of the garden as the weight of the blooms starts to pull the plants in one direction or another. Despite dahlia's lack of fragrance, the flowers attract a number of insect pollinators and hummingbirds to the garden to feast upon nectar and pollen grains. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Summer snowflake ( Leucojum aestivum ) needs full sun to partial shade and moderate moisture conditions to reach a height of 18 inches. A native of Europe and southwest Asia, this bulb produces a flowering stalk with one to two nodding white flowers with green markings, and it has several strap-like leaves. Reliably …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… inches across on uniform, bushy 1-foot plants. Zinnias are annuals in the aster family native to Mexico. Easy to grow with vivid flowers, they are a good choice for introducing youngsters to growing plants by seed. They can be sown directly into average soil after the danger of frost …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Bees & Beyond thematic programming at the Chicago Botanic Garden inspired Windy City Harvest to offer this special course for gardeners to learn about the pollinators in their backyards and gardening techniques to support them. Rachel Kimpton, Windy City Harvest coordinator Farm on Ogden, 3555 Ogden Avenue, …
Type: Item Detail
