… heads (Green Ball dianthus), and Engelmann creeper vine (for the bow) were all collected in the Fruit & Vegetable Garden. Circle, Ring, Wreath This is a BIG wreath—great for an outdoor … beautiful heirloom varieties with names like ‘Blue Jade’, ‘Glass Gem’, and ‘Golden Bantam’—in a seasonless sunburst. The French saying on this wreath translates to, “the moon is my light and my joy.” Even the branches of this wreath are made of raffia. A nursery grower in our production greenhouse by day, Lorin Fox is an artist and woodcarver off-hours. A close …
Type: Blog
… Winter weather in Chicago often has surprises. Snow covered the grass of the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden. This protected grass can expect good growth in spring. The yellow whips of this willow make an excellent contrast to the snow in most landscapes. The fruit of eastern wahoo ( Euonymous atropurpureus ) creates a striking …
Type: Blog
… Step past the sleepy stone lion, breathe in the cowslip primrose, and listen to the water trickle into an eighteenth-century lead … time? Work is underway to enhance the English Walled Garden’s magestical tapestry. Dedicated in 1991 by Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, the English … Princess Margaret, by the way, wore a heavy, royal blue coat, buttoned to the collar; in a one-minute speech, she thanked the Garden for ensuring the authenticity of the English …
Type: Blog
… at the Garden from around the world. Sunshine the titan arum ( Amorphophallus titanum ) in the Sensory Garden Jack-in-the-Pulpit ( Arisaema triphyllum ) and Skunk Cabbage ( Symplocarpus foetidus ) are the two most common Chicago natives in this family. Other relatives hail from continents, regions, countries, and islands. Taxa …
Type: Blog
… While stores can’t keep Halloween and fall decorations in stock this year—supply chain issues or maybe gremlins—we’ve got some DIY ideas. With a little … that I’ve worked on over the years. These ephemeral projects celebrate what’s happening now in gardens and then fade as the wonders of the next season take over. Decorate it! Pumpkin Project Get the whole family involved in this fun activity. Give pumkins a quick coat of non-toxic water-based paint; then glue on …
Type: Blog
… 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 …
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… 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
