… In 2017, torrential rains fell over much of our region, particularly in Lake and McHenry counties, as well as southeastern Wisconsin. Here at the Chicago Botanic Garden, high water levels in the Skokie River forced us to close on July 13 and 14—the first time in the Garden’s history …
Type: Blog
… at the Chicago Botanic Garden, only one can compete with the flowers: the brides. Beautiful in their gowns, stepping delicately into the Krasberg Rose Garden or walking down toward the … they trail bridesmaids and tuxedoed men and happy families. As they pass, we onlookers stop in our tracks, smile goofily, gawk unabashedly…and let our thoughts turn to romance. Over the … the Garden has been the site of many a romantic story for both staff and visitors. With summer in full swing—and romance in the air—here are a few more of our favorites. 2013: It Takes a Flash …
Type: Blog
… Competition is heating up in the western United States. Invasive and native plants are racing to claim available land and … to reverse. Cheatgrass, which is an aggressive, invasive plant with a dense root system, is in the lead and spreading quickly across the west. Native plants are falling in its wake—especially when it comes to their delicate seedlings that lead to new generations. …
Type: Blog
… Attention orchid fans: our vanilla orchid is blooming in the Tropical Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s a rare occurrence in the wild—and in a greenhouse. Wade Wheatley, assistant horticulturist, seized the moment to hand-pollinate the …
Type: Blog
… Several years ago, while walking the nature trail in McDonald Woods, I stopped, having heard a high-pitched squeaking emanating from the sedges and … a romantic interlude or territorial dispute between two of the smallest carnivorous mammals in our woodland: shrews. Actually, shrews are technically known as insectivorous mammals. … CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons The short-tailed shrew averages about 4.8 inches (122 mm) in length, with the tail being about a quarter of the length of the body and head combined. It is …
Type: Blog
… is sowing seeds for the annual displays on the Garden's grounds and for plants used in classes and camps. She is especially interested in the complex strategies that plants have developed to prevent the germination of their seeds until conditions are favorable for the seedlings' survival. In her work, she researches and tests different techniques to break these germination inhibitors …
Type: Staff bio
… the Chicago Botanic Garden’s plant collection is the more than 70 species of Amorphophallus . In particular, Amorphophallus titanum , also called the titan arum or corpse flower, has gained … bloom time—a hybrid of week-old gym socks and a rotting mouse that you just can’t seem to find in your kitchen. The Garden began collecting titan arums, or corpse flowers, in 2003. There’s a worldwide conservation effort to preserve the species, as it is considered …
Type: Blog
… within seed mixes, and their combined potential to power up to the diversity level found in remnant prairies. A healthy, diverse prairie Urban and agricultural development has left us … of prairieland, which is vital part of our ecosystem. Today, the prairie can be found only in small patches, and scientists at the Chicago Botanic Garden study prairie plants and their … question is what restored plant communities will look like. Restored prairies can and do grow in all kinds of places, according to Barak, who conducted fieldwork at dozens of sites within an …
Type: Blog
… answers to unsolved scientific questions. Purple milkweed ( Asclepias purpurascens ) blooms in the McDonald Woods. “Nothing out there exists by itself. It’s all a network,” said Steffen. … to document, study, and breathe life into the systems that sustain a healthy woodland. In the late 1800s, most area native oaks were cleared, leaving behind a fragmented and altered … including buckthorn and nonnative critters, such as all of our present-day earthworms, moved in. The climate began to change. While many may have thrown up their hands and walked away from …
Type: Blog
… of a bonsai gradually become active. During this time, the energy of the tree that was stored in the roots over the winter begins to move back up into the tree branches. As this happens, the … Dormant bud Swelling bud Extending bud Opening bud The best time to repot is generally in the middle of this process, when the roots are active, and the buds are in the swelling and extending stage. All repotting should be done by the time the trees are in …
Type: Blog
