… While working out in the woods this winter, a small lump on the branch of a young elm tree caught my attention. At … are amazing, but their nests are truly a marvel of avian architecture. Not much larger in diameter than a quarter, they are just large enough to hold the one to three navy bean-sized … something out of lightweight fuzzy plant fibers? I imagine you might find yourself wrapped up in a ball like some sort of oversized grotesque moth cocoon. The silk also helps to anchor the …
Type: Blog
… and beautiful Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden. You likely saw a lit-up island floating in the lake, and if you looked closely, you might have noticed that there’s actually no way to … principles. She provided circular patterns that resemble ripples of water, a symbol found in traditional Japanese dry gardens. The result is an ethereal effect that maintains the look and … alkaline soil, but she explains that any plant, even one not native to Japan, can be used in a Japanese garden as long as it is maintained according to Japanese gardening principles. …
Type: Blog
… In 2001, Plants of Concern was launched through the Chicago Botanic Garden to track the status of rare, threatened, and endangered species in northeast Illinois. A landmark program at the time of its conception, Plants of Concern has … collaborative community science and still represents one of the only programs of its kind in the world. Here, we’ll look back at our history and celebrate a few of the many …
Type: Blog
… In gardening, as in life, patience is a virtue. Twelve years ago, the Garden embarked on a mission to bring a rock … Amorphophallus titanum ), also known as the corpse flower, is the largest flowering structure in the world. When it blooms, it puts on a show like no other. Huge. Rotten. Rare. Watch our … red “flower” with a nauseating stench that can be detected up to an acre away. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We have been cultivating eight of these mysterious plants behind the …
Type: Blog
… A striking century plant is putting on a show in the final stages of its life—it’s blooming for the first and only time in 27 years. The succulent sends up a tall stalk of blossoms right before it dies. In the Arid Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Agave ocahui is known as the century plant …
Type: Blog
… easily take root and begin propagating anywhere they touch soil. For these reasons, grow mint in a plastic pot, so it doesn’t take over your yard. (The roots are so strong they can crack clay … it gets some water every week to keep it from becoming bitter. Maintaining flavor Mints spread in two ways: by runners and by seed. However, many plants are hybrids, which means the sprouts … your flavor There are more than 600 types of mint on the market. Here are a few that work best in the kitchen: Kentucky Colonel spearmint (Mentha spicata ‘Kentucky Colonel’) got its fame …
Type: Blog
… 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
