… spring to clear just 10 or 11 acres. After years of not letting the garlic mustard set seed in the McDonald Woods, a few years ago we finally began to see a light at the end of the tunnel … mustard each year). Thanks to the tremendous help of Garden volunteers, garlic mustard growth in the Woods has finally been curtailed, and each year we are now able to remove all flowering garlic mustard in the Woods’ entire 100 acres. Over nearly two decades, Garden volunteers have played a critical …
Type: Blog
… A weevil is a type of beetle. It typically has an elongated head that appears as a snout. In fact, its other name is snout beetle. Weevils, or snout beetles, make up what many believe to be the largest family of insects in the world—estimated at almost 40,000 species. The majority live in and around plants, and feed on plants and various plant parts. Sunflower head clipping weevil, …
Type: Blog
… getaway. Seeking a seasonal and local bouquet? Consider some of the dormant shrubs growing in your yard, said Heather Sherwood, senior horticulturist. A little advance planning can produce … from early-spring flowering shrubs, such as forsythia. Prune 2- to-3-foot lengths, put them in a container filled with water, and place them in a sunny location. The bright yellow forsythia flowers will begin blooming in roughly a week, …
Type: Blog
… In early May, when the leaves of maples are unfolding into a soft green, the Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) returns, giving his liquid “tea-dear-dear” song in suburban yards and forest preserve edges. Homeowners who put oranges and grape jelly in feeders are often rewarded with a look at the male with his black head and back contrasting …
Type: Blog
… What are those big white things dangling by the orchids in the air, you wonder, and how do they work? Let’s look at those roots from a different angle Most orchids are epiphytes. An epiphyte is a plant that grows on another plant (not in soil), but is not parasitic. They’re Called Aerial Roots Of the 27,000-plus species of orchids … about 70 percent are epiphytes—plants that grow on trees, with above-ground rather than in-ground roots. Known as aerial roots, they act as anchors and supports as they wrap around …
Type: Blog
… field trips last year as a way to bring the natural world to students who were participating in remote learning at home. In order to do so, we remodeled a classroom and purchased equipment including cameras, computers, and a sound system. Our learning team learned a new set of skills, both in front of and behind the camera. Our virtual classroom in action As the Garden’s youth programs …
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… are appropriate. Hold off on doing any detailed cleanup of garden beds as the mulch and leaves in the beds will provide some protection to any early growing perennials when the weather … to take any special maintenance steps to protect these plants. If you have some perennials in a warm area of the garden with more pronounced growth, they might benefit from a light layer of mulch. For the most part, though, there is nothing special for most gardeners to do in their perennial beds. Even in great weather for pruning, proceed with care. Spring-flowering …
Type: Blog
… A few years ago, in early spring, I was traveling through the McDonald Woods at the Chicago Botanic Garden, … for some of the flat-bodied crab spiders ( Philodromus ) that typically spend the winter in communal groupings under the loose bark of dead trees. Upon reaching a small stand of dead … spiders under this bark! Although I was a little startled to have this hand slowly reach out in front of my face, I immediately realized that this piece of loose bark was the day roost of a …
Type: Blog
… are my favorites. The other day, when the rain cleared and the sun came out, I found myself in warbler heaven! Yellow-rumped warblers ( Setophaga coronata ) are some of the most common … anywhere! Photo © Carol Freeman As soon as I walked out of the Visitor Center, I saw movement in the trees next to the bridge: my first warbler of the day—a prothonotary! ( Protonotaria … can be seen hopping along branches looking for insects. Photo © Carol Freeman After delighting in the abundance of birds for a few hours, I slowly made my way back to my car, choosing to walk …
Type: Blog
… Did you know that one in every three bites of food you take required a pollinator visit? Pollination is essential for many of our favorite foods—from almonds to vanilla, and so many fruits and vegetables in between. The decline of pollinators around the world is threatening not only our food supply but also the function of plant communities and ecosystems. Multiple factors play a role in pollinator decline, including land-use changes, pesticide use, climate change, and the spread …
Type: Blog
