… These perennials are carnivorous plants that need full sun to partial shade and moist soil conditions. Their blooms, from May to August, vary from red to green to purple. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This clump-forming evergreen perennial from South Africa needs full sun and dry moisture conditions to reach a height of about 2 feet. From late spring to early summer …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… number of experts in the Midwest, the editors asked for recommendations of award-worthy plants and then came up with a list of great plants that gardeners can count on. (I was happy to note … are proven perennials from the Chicago Botanic Garden’s trials , as well as plants I’ve grown and loved for a long time.) Here’s my short list—including one with crazy beautiful flowers and … it in the right spot and water it. Best for Sun ‘Joanna Reed’ catmint ( Nepeta ‘Joanna Reed’) is one of the tidiest catmints I’ve ever grown, an attribute that cinched a top rating in our …
Type: Blog
… areas have, too. We had not seen much garlic mustard in our natural areas in recent years, and its reemergence is a reminder for all of us that controlling and managing invasive species is an ongoing challenge. Our natural areas comprise more than half …
Type: Blog
… that go by the common name of "milkweed" are the food that these butterflies need. Milkweed is both a food source and a host plant on which the monarch butterflies lay their eggs. Monarchs lay their eggs on the … of vertebrates (animals with a skeleton). Butterflies are insects with an exoskeleton, and so are not affected by the toxin. Within the Chicago region, the following milkweed species …
Type: Blog
… Meditative, artful, and transporting. In a way, the experience of seeing Asia in Bloom: The Orchid Show is much like ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging. On display now through … March 25, this new feature of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Orchid Show invites you to pause and reflect on this historic art form. Ikebana is the traditional Japanese art of flower …
Type: Blog
… Like so many things in tending bonsai, how you overwinter your trees is specific to the tree species and the region in which you live. Bonsai in fall color, before being prepped for storage. The … in the Chicago area, we need to take special care to protect our trees from cold temperatures and windy conditions. Prior to bringing in your tropical trees and tucking your cold hardy trees …
Type: Blog
… vividly the first time I visited the Chicago Botanic Garden. I was silent (unusual for me) and in awe. Everywhere I looked, I saw plant labels, and looking at them provided me some kind of familiarity—like when you meet someone new, you want … like, right? Well, the same with plants. One important aspect of visiting a botanic garden is acknowledging its plant collection. Botanic gardens are living museums, and when you go to a …
Type: Blog
… many of these trees don’t survive very long. In this blog, I will cover some of the dos and don’ts about purchasing a bonsai as a gift, tell you where you can get quality trees, and give a little information on what to do if you receive one of these wonderful trees as a gift … your list. But before buying that little tree, there are a few things to consider. Tree health is essential. Glued-down rocks on a juniper bonsai Often, a tree’s leaves will give you a good …
Type: Blog
… May is the month to look for warblers, vireos, thrushes, sparrows, and some shorebirds, as they … or water, you have a chance at spotting a warbler. If you see a tiny bird, quickly darting in and out of a tree, there is a good chance you have found a warbler. Oaks and willow trees are …
Type: Blog
