… In case you missed it, the International Herb Association has named tarragon the herb of the … tarragon ( Artemisia dracunculus ) has silvery leaves and an anise-like flavor, but basil is the king of herbs, beloved by all. It’s such a crowd-pleaser that we’re giving away Napoletano … and flavonoids—antioxidants and chemoprotectors—help neutralize the carcinogens found in smoke. “I do love smoked fish,” says Tankersley. “Please let there be driftwood available!” …
Type: Blog
… Tom Soulsby is the senior horticulturist for the Rose Garden, Heritage Garden, and Linden Allée. He is responsible for curating and maintaining a collection of more than 5,000 roses in one of the largest public rose collections in the country. Described as compelling and inspiring, his artful seasonal Heritage Garden annual …
Type: Staff bio
… other outdoor spaces and why are they so important? Housing for the elderly has been provided in many western cities since the Middle Ages. Facilities such as independent living centers, … facilities have traditionally included some form of outdoor space. The Role of the Outdoors in Residential Environments for Aging , published in 2006. The majority of the elderly (over 65) … (circuit and materials), and seating. The entrance/exit to an outdoor space—the threshold—is perhaps the most important factor to consider when designing an outdoor space for the elderly, …
Type: Blog
… and beautiful Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden. You likely saw a lit-up island floating in the lake, and if you looked closely, you might have noticed that there’s actually no way to get to that island. Did you wonder why that is? Horaijima, or the Island of Everlasting Happiness, represents paradise—a place inaccessible … principles. She provided circular patterns that resemble ripples of water, a symbol found in traditional Japanese dry gardens. The result is an ethereal effect that maintains the look and …
Type: Blog
… Are you feeling winter blue? Do you feel trapped in cold and ice? Has your mood gone south, leaving you wishing that you could, too? What, with the world’s best antidepressant right out your front door? The magic elixir is a winter walk. And the Chicago Botanic Garden awaits with a prescription-strength dose—miles … a brisk walk any time, anywhere. But never is it as urgently necessary for my mental health as in winter. A winter walk is the cure for cabin fever. And more than that, it’s the way to reshape …
Type: Blog
… Blog followers will remember that in the first “How to Train Your Plant” post, we demonstrated how plants respond to the gravitational pull of the earth. Geotropism is difficult to overcome, but that didn’t stop me from trying to make a plant grow sideways … for constructing the maze. Stand the box on its side. Then cut two pieces of cardboard to fit in the box and make divisions. You’ll want these to fit as snugly as possible inside the box, but …
Type: Blog
… pollinators through Bees & Beyond, a program that reveals the vital role pollinators play in our everyday lives and in a healthy, diverse planet. The “beyond” in the title refers to bats, birds, butterflies, … can get an up-close look at my personal favorite fluttering pollinator, butterflies. While it is easy to be swept away by the magnificent beauty of lepidopteran, it is important to recognize …
Type: Blog
… In 2017, I spent a lot of time in the Regenstein Center, around the Lenhardt Library's librarian’s suite, Skyping in the … and made recommendations for improvement to the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). BHL is a group of natural history and botanical libraries that work together to digitize books and … Alicia Esquivel, Pamela McClanahan, Marissa Kings, and Katie Mika My particular project is to define how much biodiversity literature is in the public domain and how much of it still …
Type: Blog
… Plant Garden Farwell Landscape Garden Graham Bulb Garden, Aquatic Garden Viburnum Walk Liz Rex is the horticulturist for the Crescent, which welcomes visitors entering the Garden from the … 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 …
Type: Staff bio
… After severe winter weather, gardeners face bigger challenges than usual in the spring, due to a “perfect storm” of weather conditions that scorch evergreens, protect … slow-growing, this boxwood ( Buxus microphylla ) should make a full recovery. The bad news is that more plant damage is likely to appear once the weather is consistently warm, though many … pruned or removed altogether, a polar vortex gives us a few important reminders about growing in the Chicago area and could ultimately make us all better gardeners. Winter was particularly …
Type: Blog
