… Day). Musing about how to share some seeds, horticulturist Nancy Clifton got interested in the guerrilla gardening-inspired idea of “seed balls” (or seed bombs, as they’re sometimes … to judge the consistency. Wearing gardening or plastic gloves, roll a teaspoon-sized ball in your hands (size can vary). Think “mud pie”—the ball should hold together when you squeeze it, … a few seeds to sprout from each seed ball. Too many seeds mean too many sprouts, resulting in too much competition for nutrients and water. All sun. All shade. All herbs. All spring. …
Type: Blog
… Francisco Mercado, Sr.—affectionately known here as "Pancho"—has been a staff member in the Grounds department since the early '70s. With many decades of training and experience, he specializes in areas including equipment operation, horticulture, and landscaping. He heads a team of four … that keeps machinery operating and mows the grass on more than 45 acres. Mercado grew up in Lares, Puerto Rico, where he helped his father on the family farm. …
Type: Staff bio
… I turned to Heather Sherwood, senior horticulturist at the Chicago Botanic Garden, who lives in Chicago. She has an open lot next to her apartment, but also has some restrictions like me. … Sunburn isn’t a concern just for us humans. Plants can get scorched, too. Don’t put them in blazing sunlight. Porches with shade are prime locations for orchids and birds of paradise … plants. The outdoors makes your plants happy. A lot of plants really enjoy the strong swing in temperature that only the outdoors can provide, said Sherwood. If you have the space for it, …
Type: Blog
… For the past week, the big forklifts and trucks with their whimsical cargo have been rolling in to set up for the U.S. debut of Lightscape on November 22. Popular time slots are selling fast … color, imagination, and sound, a night out for families, couples, and friends who want to get in on something new. This is a holiday lights event for a new generation, jolly with the sound of singing trees and toasty in the glow of a fire garden. Crew members and creative staff have been working every day past …
Type: Blog
… capacity to address priority management needs. Ultimately, our goal is to play a leading role in supporting the conservation, management, and restoration of native plant diversity in the Chicago region that serves as a model for work in the United States and globally. I am excited to be a part of the New Roots for Restoration …
Type: Staff bio
… As we are all adapting to new ways of connecting for work and play, students in Windy City Harvest’s Youth Farm program have learned to adapt too. With a new way of doing … and social emotional learning. Working as a team, they learn to grow food responsibly, eat in a healthy way, and become accountable to themselves, their fellow farmers, and to their … of fun and it feels like a second family." Ordinarily, youth farmers work on-site and attend in-person workshops, five days a week for eight weeks. This year, because of the COVID-19 health …
Type: Blog
… purple undersides. The purple hues will fade with low light levels, so keep this plant in strong, indirect light. Keep it on the drier side during the winter; water it regularly during … pitcher plant every few months to keep it fed and happy. Keep this plant moist; it does best in a humid and bright area. Your rock for the winter Lithops Lithops are fascinating succulent plants with adorable little blooms. Known as “living stones,” they mimic pebbles in arid soils. They require very little water during the autumn before they begin to grow new …
Type: Blog
… substitute for each of these bulky favorites. So, if you want to give your yard more color in autumn but don’t want it confined to the back of the border, try planting these “shorties” up … can begin well before September, but the unique shape and yellow hue really stand out in the fall landscape. (The leaves are said to smell of vanilla, but if you’re like me, ragweed season will make it difficult to notice.) Don’t be afraid to stick these beauties in a vase. Helenium autumnale ‘Short and Sassy’ Short and Sassy sneezeweed Helenium autumnale …
Type: Blog
… level is right there with them. I am frequently asked, “what kinds of activities do you do in the early spring to engage participants in horticultural therapy?” I turn to garden prep activities for both engaging and therapeutic … to connect the importance of seed germination and plant care to the care of oneself or others. In healthcare facilities or special education programs, many individuals are taken care of …
Type: Blog
… Rex graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a bachelor of science degree in horticulture. She has worked at the Garden since 2003, when she began work as a seasonal … Lakeside Gardens. Rex was promoted to full-time assistant horticulturist for Evening Island in 2004 and then to horticulturist for the Crescent, the Esplanade, and Native Plant Garden in 2005.She became responsible for maintaining the Landscape Garden in 2013.Rexenjoys teaching …
Type: Staff bio
