… entirely dependent on what they could produce themselves, as were the early American settlers. In time, a fruitful garden became a common symbol of independence from foreign imports—highlighting a new American pride in agriculture. The farm-to-table movement of today epitomizes the fruit-growing traditions of … past by “growing as close to the plate as possible.” Sweet, juicy fruit can be easily grown in gardens of all sizes: on small urban lots, in containers on terraces, or in large suburban …
Type: Blog
… Tom Tiddens has worked at the Chicago Botanic Garden in the Plant Health Care department for 25 years. In 1994, Tiddens was promoted to supervisor of the department. Since then, the department has … duties involve protecting the Garden's plant collections from diseases, pests, and weeds in an environmentally sensitive manner. Tiddens is a certified arborist through the International …
Type: Staff bio
… back story of the Chicago Botanic Garden—which starts long before the Garden’s groundbreaking in 1965. Next time you visit the Garden, take a closer look at the topography and you can still … Garden was established on land created by glaciers that retreated more than 13,000 years ago. In their wake, they left a great watershed that includes the Chicago River and its tributaries. … and settlers for fire. The river and marshes, which once posed persistent flooding problems in the Skokie River Valley, became an asset in the Garden’s design. The Garden’s brilliant …
Type: Blog
… to begin a bloom cycle. Our corpse flowers ( Amorphophallus titanum ) are now on display in a variety of life stages: in fruit, leaf, and imminent bloom. You might remember Spike and Alice in 2015: Spike failed to bloom but provided so much excitement; and Alice the Amorphophallus …
Type: Blog
… this past weekend. The titan arum, native to the rainforests of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, was first “discovered” by Italian botanist Odoardo Beccari in 1878. On August 6, 1878, he first observed the leaves and fruits of a plant (interestingly, … eventually germinated. One of those seedlings was sent to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in England. There, in 1889, 11 years after its discovery, a titan arum plant flowered for the …
Type: Blog
… not go unnoticed. Its lacey white flowers and unique biological attributes sparked a passion in scientists and volunteers across the Midwest who began gathering leaf samples for genetic … of actual plants, pressing them onto archival paper with their field notes and placing them in long-term storage facilities called herbaria, for future reference. As it turns out, some of … populations that no longer exist. Now, all of that data is coming together for the first time in a research study by graduate student Claire Ellwanger. The master’s degree candidate—in the …
Type: Blog
… all gardeners, proper drainage, size, and a suitable material are important considerations. In the art of bonsai, the relationship between tree and container is equally important. It’s all … according to Baker. All images and quotations below, courtesy of Chris Baker. A crabapple tree in the Garden’s bonsai collection. “This is a deciduous tree so it has a glazed pot. The color works well with the white and pink blooms.” A hornbeam tree in the Garden’s bonsai collection. The pot was made by Eli Akins of Waldo Street Pottery. “Though …
Type: Blog
… female. Most dragonflies have very different-looking males and females. This one was in the Native Plant Garden. Photo ©Carol Freeman. Some of the dragonflies migrate south toward … most abundant dragonfly I’ve seen is the eastern pondhawk, with blue dasher dragonflies coming in a close second. I’m also seeing quite a few damselflies, which are generally smaller and more … male. Hanging out on the waterlilies. Photo ©Carol Freeman. Dragonflies and damselflies, both in the order Odonata, can spend several years as aquatic nymphs before they emerge into the …
Type: Blog
… of the Chicago Botanic Garden and Kasey Bersett Eaves, owner of Vivant Gardening Services in Chicago, teamed up to create delicious mixers for cocktails. You can easily make these … cocktails at home. What makes a cocktail botanical? Mainly, herbs. Just about any herb in your garden can be used to flavor drinks. Herbs + fresh fruit = a delicious base for all sorts of beverages. Grab what’s in season in your garden and experiment. Below you will find recipes to make different herbal …
Type: Blog
… who suffer from hay fever. Graminoids such as grasses, sedges, and rushes are well represented in prairies. Grasses—the most dominant graminoid in prairies— have evolved to thrive with grazing animals. In most plants, the growth of the plant occurs at its branch tips. When the tip is removed by a …
Type: Blog
