… warm-colored hues. Amber browns, golden yellows, and blazing reds cover many natural areas in the Midwest, including the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s all thanks to fall’s shorter days and … to know and love? This season, we’ve seen high temperatures upward of 80 degrees Fahrenheit in early October in the Chicago area and droughts happening across the country. Those kinds of changes have an …
Type: Blog
… Pokémon hunting in the Garden can be a great way to stop and take a closer look at some of the gardens while … of kids and adults alike since its recent release. The game is global—users can play anywhere in the world—and the Garden is one of the locations with many features for those using the game. … dot the Garden grounds, typically tied to sculptures and commemorative plaques embedded in walkways. In addition, six Gyms—virtual locations where players can train and battle their …
Type: Blog
… When you think of fires that occur in the natural world, you might think of destruction and loss of wildlife. But when it comes to … why and how fires can promote the population health of plants and maintain plant diversity in fire-dependent ecosystems. A 21-year study by Stuart Wagenius, Ph.D., and a team of … the number of seeds that they produce,” said Dr. Wagenius. The study was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences or PNAS, one of the world’s most-cited and …
Type: Blog
… according to a cookbook from the team behind Blackberry Farm , the luxurious farm and inn in Tennessee. Jeff Ross, farmstead educator and artisan chef at Blackberry Farm, brought that … Farm Ross showed how easy it is to incorporate fresh produce and gardening into your life in his lecture, “Eating Between the Rows.” “I want to open people’s eyes to the edible food all … It’s not just edibles. Ross looks to the garden for home décor ideas, such as using okra pods in creative ways, and as an unexpected source of inspiration. “A garden shed can be very …
Type: Blog
… plants indoors? Better still, why not experiment with your plants to understand them better? In this activity, you will confuse a bean sprout and train it to grow in any direction you want. Sound like fun? You will need: a gallon-size zip-top bag paper towels, … they are single-ply, double them) a pinto, lima, or kidney bean (try whatever you have) soaked in water overnight a stapler water tape Lay the paper towel flat inside the plastic bag. If it …
Type: Blog
… You’ve undoubtedly noticed a tall, vertical grass, planted en masse , swaying in the wind at the entrance to the mall, in your neighbor’s yard, or most likely, at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Feather reed grass ( Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’) has, for good reason, become a staple in perennial gardens. Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ by Daryl Mitchell from …
Type: Blog
… (known as pollination syndromes), these human constructs may mask what is really going on in nature. Many “typical” hummingbird flowers belong to species that produce diluted nectar with … are also known to have acute color vision and show no innate preference for the color red—in other words, there is no reason for them to exclusively focus on red or orange flowers. And … flowers that produce cheaper nectar when they could feed from more suitable nearby sources in a diverse buffet of flowers? Flowers that are “atypical,” or lacking the characteristics we …
Type: Blog
… is on-site at the Garden and health and safety guidance on social distancing means big changes in the work the horticulture staff does and how we do it. Our focus is to keep the Garden alive … living museum, filled with plants, trees, and shrubs that are under cultivation. Like objects in any museum, plants in the Garden’s permanent collection are documented and preserved—they’re not wild. They contain …
Type: Blog
… of interest, and botanic details on more than 10,000 plants into an application that sits in the palm of your hand. How did they do it, and what keeps the wheels turning? The ability to access this information in real time during a Garden visit is what makes the app so special, according to Boyce … they need to see, and then they are back to experiencing the Garden, just as we had hoped.” In addition, photos and plant information are frequently being added, so there is always …
Type: Blog
… 1,500 of which are popularly grown. Here are some tips for growing these beautiful plants in the garden. Selecting a site Pick a sunny spot where, optimally, the plants will receive at … the danger of frost has passed, and the soil temperature remains above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. In Chicago, this typically means about the middle of May. However, some growers wait until … If you are using potted plants that have already developed a root system, place the plants in the ground so that the top of the potting medium is level with the ground. Many growers add a …
Type: Blog
