… heard a high-pitched squeaking emanating from the sedges and grasses along side the trail. (This was when my hearing was still acute enough to detect such high-frequency sounds.) It took me … Insectivores are critters that depend, to a large extent, on invertebrates, mostly insects, for their survival. I wasn’t sure which shrew this was, but more than likely, it was one of the … in length, with the tail being about a quarter of the length of the body and head combined. It is by far the largest of the shrews we will see here. They are generally a velvety, dark gray …
Type: Blog
… any other male of the species, but the left wings were beige—only females have beige wings. This lacewing was half male and half female, or a gynandromorphic butterfly. That morning, when I had discovered the male-female lacewing, butterfly visitors had been waiting for me to release butterflies from the pupae chamber. So I packed up the lacewing, with all of … saving our special discovery for last. I got everyone’s attention and announced, “This is extremely rare! As a butterfly wrangler, I have released many thousands of butterflies, but …
Type: Blog
… What do gardeners give as gifts? Staff around the Chicago Botanic Garden get creative this time of year, sharing harvests of fruit, nuts, herbs, and more in creative—and … joined by end-of-season pickled green tomatoes. Web designer Christina Weisbard has a weakness for fruit trees…which explains the bounty of mulberry, quince, and crabapple jellies that she’s … With care, amaryllis will repeat the show next year. This long-lasting pink and coral beauty is Hippeastrum ‘Amalfi’. A Tiny Terrarium Bubble bowl terrariums are filled with dainty …
Type: Blog
… Each fall, we sing the praises of fall allium and autumn crocus blooms. This year, however, a special mention must be made for the glorious gladiolus! Especially the delicate, 4-inch, salmon pink flowers of the salmon … salmoneus produces elegant, upright flower stalks that do not require staking! Gladiolus is the largest genus in the Iridaceae (iris plant family) with 255 species worldwide; 166 of …
Type: Blog
… 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. … than the length of the bean. The staples hold the bean in place, but should give enough room for the bean to grow between the staples. Watch to see how the bean grows and needs the space. … trap the seed and ruin the activity.) As soon as your plant has grown a root and a stem that is 1-2 inches long, turn the bag one quarter turn and put it back. You may have to wait a week – …
Type: Blog
… It’s been another fantastic season at Butterflies & Blooms at the Chicago Botanic Garden. This is my second year working at Butterflies & Blooms, and I think it’s looking better than … little concerned about whether they would have time to emerge before we have to shut our doors for the season. When I came into the pupae chamber a few days after they arrived, there was a …
Type: Blog
… Examine pen-and-ink drawing with the study of natural botanical forms and shapes. You will acquire valuable techniques including … establish depth and dimension. A supply list will be sent. Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing 1. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days …
Type: Item Detail
… Chicago Botanic Garden. But to Jim Steffen , senior ecologist at the Garden, the oak woodland is a bustling center for natural processes and species, and may hold answers to unsolved scientific questions. Purple … The climate began to change. While many may have thrown up their hands and walked away from this complex puzzle, Steffen saw a treasure. Taking Flight At age 15, he began to explore the …
Type: Blog
… the colors of the season long after the tree leaves have faded and been raked away. It is one of November’s icons, reminding us of the cultural and botanical history of the continent. “You call it corn; we call it maize.” Or so the 1970s TV ad for Mazola margarine told us. Long ago, “corn” used to be the term for any grain seed, including … sweet yellow stuff on our dinner plates (and its close relatives) as the one and only “corn.” This drawing shows the similarities between modern corn and its ancestor, teosinte, after 10,000 …
Type: Blog
… in shades of scarlet and gold, we are thinking ahead to nature’s other big show—spring color. This year, the annual Woman’s Board Fall Bulb Sale is online only. You’ll be able to shop at your leisure for hundreds of varieties of bulbs imported directly from growers in Holland. The members’ …
Type: Blog
