… Terese Adamiec is the grower for outdoor floriculture in the Plant Production department. She focuses on growing and maintaining the annuals that are used in the display gardens for the spring, summer, and fall seasons. She also maintains the inventory … she was hired as the grower for outdoor floriculture. She has a bachelor of science degree in horticulture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. …
Type: Staff bio
… asking, “What sort of advantage would this feature give to the butterfly?” Every trait found in nature exists because it gave that individual more opportunities to reproduce. Perhaps the … thumb? One theory is that the specs imitate the iridescent glistening drops of dew on a leaf in the morning or after a rain. Another theory is that the gold specs are a way of the pupae shouting, “I’m poisonous! Leave me alone or you’ll be sorry!” In the world of insects, reds, oranges, and yellows universally indicate poison, whether the …
Type: Blog
… for my green, leafy friends. Part of Weaver's houseplant collection, grown under grow lamps in his basement. Weaver's dog, Pepin, isn't so sure about the monstera coming along for the move. … monstera or 8-foot dracaena. Decide whether you want to bring the whole plant, or save room in your moving truck by taking a cutting (and gifting the large plant to a friend). “The nice … really having to think about it.” Pack plants with care Make sure plants are packed snugly in boxes so they don’t move and break. Weaver recommends wrapping plants in newspaper so dirt …
Type: Blog
… if it’s a closed terrarium. 4. Use a clean, well-drained growing medium that is high in organic matter. A blend of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite is a good choice. Soil should … to your light conditions. Add a mixture of plants with small or large leaves, short and tall in height, and other variations. Add color, either with foliage color and interest, or with … terrarium Watering : Water until moistened after planting, being careful not to let water pool in the bottom where it cannot be removed. Leave the closed terrarium uncovered until the foliage …
Type: Blog
… plants and let them sprout. We used biodegradable Fertilpots , but you could also start seeds in egg cartons, newspaper pots, or plastic pots. 2. Cut the burlap into squares that are twice … the fabric roughly into 8″-x-8″ squares. This does not need to be exact. 3. Fold the square in half diagonally and sew a seam along the side. You can use a heavy duty needle with a sewing … the wall, pinch the extra fabric so the burlap fits snugly around the pot. Fold down the point in front or cut it off—your choice. Push a long pin through the pot and the fabric and pin the …
Type: Blog
… animals including swans, pied-billed grebes, muskrats, and many others. The central character in the story is a turtle. The turtle, an island in a world of water, was chosen to carry soil and tree seedlings on its back, which eventually … on any given day during the growing season at the Garden. Like the early blooming wildflowers in McDonald Woods, turtles are truly one of the first signs of spring. Soon after the ice melts …
Type: Blog
… Helen Bartlett is the horticulturist for Evening Island, which was designed in the New American Garden style of landscape design, featuring five acres of hillside, woodland, and meadow gardens, surrounded by lakes. She has a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from Knox College. Bartlett joined the Garden in 2013 as a seasonal employee on the aquatics team. The following year, she became a seasonal …
Type: Staff bio
… way to cement knowledge. Nature play abounds at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and can be found in many of our education programs, including Family Drop-In activities, Camp CBG, and the Nature Preschool. Ann Halley , Nature Preschool director, … play activities that can be done at home. Choose an activity—or two—to keep children playing in nature throughout the school year: Create land art. Use twigs, rocks, and leaves to create …
Type: Blog
… As a docent at that Show, I was eager to show off the Garden’s vanilla plant (located in the Tropical Greenhouse next to the banana trees), because I knew that may visitors didn’t know that they had an orchid in their spice cabinet. Currently, I am in the second year of my research of the vanilla orchid. Vanilla is an exciting plant to study …
Type: Blog
… and flowers you want to grow this year and envision how to lay them out. The renewed interest in gardening lately means that seeds sell out quickly so get your order in early. One of my winter projects is to get started on crop planning. Make a spreadsheet for the crops you want to grow in order to keep track of your planting dates. I’ve wanted to so in past seasons; this is the …
Type: Blog
