… of nasturtium or chive flowers and let dry. Gently add flowers to a sterile quart jar. Pour in plain vinegar or white wine vinegar to cover. Let steep for two weeks in a cool, dark spot. Strain vinegar into a fresh jar to use. Note how the flowers have lost … While the farro is cooling (about 3 cups cooked), make the dressing: Toast ½ cup pecans in an oven or fry pan until fragrant. Set aside to cool, then chop. Sauté one small (or ½ large), …
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… turning to the earthy aesthetics and healing powers of mushrooms and other kinds of fungi. In particular, the underground part of mushrooms known as mycelium has captured the imagination … designer James Frost sketched this garden party-vibed headpiece, made of a Laccaria species in a summery shade of lilac. These fungi form a partnership with forest trees—they help tree roots absorb water and nutrients; in return, the trees provide nutrients to the fungus. The high-rise, swingy skirt has a retro …
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… salad dressing—we used ranch Notes from the chef/artists: Bell peppers don’t work well in the food processor. I recommend finely chopping them with a good knife. Broccoli was a bit … fourth-grade teacher Lindsay for eight great spiralizer ideas . Prepare veggies by shredding in a food processor, and place each kind in a bowl. Use your imagination to “paint” your canvas (plate). Make sure to take a picture …
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… life—as he did life here at the Chicago Botanic Garden—during the four weeks he was on display in our Semitropical Greenhouse. Spike brought the nation’s—and even the world’s—attention to the Garden, as we waited for our first-ever flowering titan to open up in all its stinky and colorful glory. The event—and I am proud to call this an event—brought more … Sunday, August 30, when we manually opened up the flower), making it by far the largest event in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s history.) In addition, there were 948 television and radio …
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… have evolved along with the bees themselves, offering up both nectar and pollen as food in exchange for the movement of pollen from plant to plant. Flashback: Why are insects pollinators? In a word, efficiency. Plants that rely on the wind are at the mercy of the wind: much of the … can get a harvest of “pure” clover or linden blossom honey, rather than a wildflower mix.) In nature, Spike’s pollinators are carrion beetles and dung flies—insects that would be attracted …
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… of the lawn. The children have a mission on this blustery October morning, an adventure in the far reaches of the Chicago Botanic Garden, where a yellow school bus opens its doors to a … the day-to-day work of a Garden ecologist. Trained Garden volunteers engage students in guided field trips from September to June. They use the same tools as horticultural scientists, take samples in the field, and ask questions that Garden experts examine on a daily basis. The goal of the …
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… edge of a glacier, then left behind as it shifts its motion and melts/recedes. Moraines vary in sizes and heights. Glacial ice that once covered northern Illinois began to recede about 14,000 years ago, leaving the five moraines, like scallops in the landscape, with the oldest to the west, the youngest to the east. Oldest and furthest west … 13,000 years ago; Green Bay Road was built along its crest. The Chicago Botanic Garden lies in the Skokie River Valley between the Highland Park and the Blodgett Moraines. Finally, a bit …
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… by a lack of light. Most people with seasonal affective disorder have symptoms that start in the fall and continue through the winter months, which in the Midwest, can seem endless. Lucky enough, there are many ways to remedy this SAD state of … activity, participants mix together a wide array of spices to create a holiday sachet to use in their home or office, or give as a gift. This activity serves as therapy on multiple levels. …
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… damage to the fence after a windy day, I discovered a large red oak that had lost its foothold in the frozen soil and had toppled over against a white oak. Since the tree was threatening to … These grubs are similar to the white grubs of Junebugs and Japanese beetles that you find in your gardens and lawns, but much larger. Although the rotten wood was frozen, I was able to … revealing a whole colony of 30 to 40 beetle grubs about 2 inches long and about a half inch in diameter. Each grub was cradled in a smooth-surfaced cell in the rotted wood. Even at …
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… ample shade for a hot summer day, and the heart-shaped leaves turn an outstanding gold color in the fall. They have a very symmetrical conical shape, strong central leader, and can reach a … by twig, a crew of four to five staff members from the Grounds Department prunes all 28 trees in the Linden Allée to precise measurements—once in the winter for shaping, and once in the summer for detail grooming. The design is very uniform …
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