… There is something wonderful about a plant that gives you color, pizzazz, longevity, reliability, and … and can bump up a plant’s chance for that coveted “reliable return.” Alliums have earned extra points lately due to their wildlife resistance. As members of the onion family (the ornamental, … (although the foliage and bulbs often do), and, when happy in their full-sun, well-drained site, can form colonies or self-seed, especially when some of the more humongous flower heads are …
Type: Plant Info
… 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
… 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 … , Circle Garden , and Rose Garden remind us how precious the sound, and feel, of running water is on a summer’s eve. There are secret sources of water drawing you into hidden niches. The …
Type: Walks
… good-looking, late-season wonders for your garden. Butterfly bush (Buddleja) Butterfly bush is a magnet for flower-feeding butterflies, bees, and other insects. This woody perennial ranges … Butterfly bush should be placed in well-drained soil and full sun. Drainage during winter is essential. See how Butterfly Bush performed in the Garden’s Plant Evaluation. Coleus … a paper bag with peat moss and store in a cool, dry place. Sneezeweed (Helenium) Sneezeweed is an unfortunate common name for this wonderful, long-blooming perennial. It doesn’t cause …
Type: Plant Info
… flowers, when juices start to flow and gardeners' ambitions are highest, drudging in the dirt is not the way most of us want to spend our Saturday. Yet good soil, whether purchased for pots or created in the garden by adding organic matter, is the absolute foundation for plants' success. All those fabulous flowers won't have a chance … the roots aren't rotting in an underground puddle. Soil Size Matters A crucial quality in soil is the size of the particles. Bigger particles pack less closely, leaving more space between for …
Type: Plant Info
… The Chicago Botanic Garden is one of the largest public gardens in the world, with more than 2.5 million plants on 385 … may not realize that nearly one-quarter of the Garden's acreage — 81 acres, to be exact — is water. In fact, most of the 27 gardens are located on one of nine islands. Even a portion of … a counterpoint to the exotic color and fragrance of the exuberant Crescent. This is a favorite site to spot the Garden’s gregarious resident ducks, trumpeter swans, and great blue herons, as …
Type: Walks
… don't want anything spiky amid your flowers. Filling in a round form to make a kissing ball is easy, Clifton says. Make a row of flowers around the equator. Fill in one hemisphere … securely attach a ribbon strong enough to hold the ball; the water will make it heavy. A cone is a little trickier, Clifton says. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Around the bottom … Berries and crabapples will eventually dry out and lose color, or else rot, however (which is why they sell fake berries and fruit at the crafts store). Of course, the easiest way to …
Type: Plant Info
… with the students and learning about urban agriculture. Carolina Macias Intern Carolina is an intern from the Windy City Harvest program. She is from the Little Village neighborhood and has years of experience working with youth. She looks … learning more about sustainable production. Antonio Willis Crew leader Fourth season Antonio is a senior at North Lawndale College Prep. His favorite vegetables are carrots. Quote: “I like …
Type: Page
… sure how the heat- and humidity-loving ghost orchid would hold up in travel. The Garden is one of the few institutions in the world to have ghost orchids; the plant is notoriously difficult to grow outside of its natural habitat in Florida and Cuba. In the … captivated an audience at Chelsea and another one at Kew. And the Orchid Conservation Team is already discussing other potential collaborations. “I am thrilled, honestly, that our ghost …
Type: Blog
… to love about big, beefy Boston ferns or tall parlor palms? They serve as lush, green focal points in a room and, like rubber plants and ficus trees, they demand adequate space to strut … if you’re looking for inexpensive, unusual containers to hold your plants. The only caveat is that if the container has no drainage holes, it’s best to keep the plant in its original … lighted kitchen cabinets where they take up very little space. During winter, the sunlight is weaker than in summer, but it’s also at a different angle—lower in the sky—and comes more …
Type: Plant Info
