… as some of us in the Second City affectionately call it: Second Winter—can test our ability to feel connected to anything living, including each other and ourselves. When we are stuck inside, our mental … Garden’s horticultural therapists engage our clients in similar moments of joyful perseverance for their health and well-being, guiding them through to May, when the last frost date finally …
Type: Blog
… When it comes to showstoppers, Shakespeare may have elevated the rose to star status with his line, “Of all the flowers, methinks a rose is best.” But what is it about … Cutie Patootie, and Diva. The availability of low-growing varieties makes them perfect for containers. While dahlias receive a standing ovation for their color and form, they have no …
Type: Blog
… People don’t always think of the Garden as a place to read, but we have the perfect backdrop for your escape into another world. Don’t wait until after the weather turns; grab a book and … when it eventually reopens or are available now from online sellers, including smile.amazon.com (your purchases through this link support the Chicago Botanic Garden, if you designate us as …
Type: Blog
… turn my head on a winter walk. Or, on a quiet day, it’s the sound of pine cones popping open to spread their seeds. As director of living plant documentation at the Chicago Botanic Garden, it’s my job to notice plants. You’d think I’d get tired of it. Nope. Nature never disappoints. Even on the … hidden beauty is revealed—as long as you keep your eyes open. A coworker recently told me, for instance, that she never had noticed the red twig dogwood in a Garden parking lot until …
Type: Blog
… Did you have a flashback to science class when you saw Spike, the titan arum? I sure did. With Spike’s frilly spathe removed, Tim Pollak and Dr. Shannon Still had a rare opportunity to show the crowd the titan arum’s beautiful and astonishing inner plant parts. At my … plant names and plant parts, sprouted a few seeds, and dissected a plant. That was about it for my formal plant-science education. Hands-on plant science at the Garden: a young visitor gets …
Type: Blog
… Garden, the Dixon Prairie boasts more than 250 species of native plants. You don’t have to go far to find plants that have something interesting or unique about their life story. Something that … meadia : A Must-see of the Prairie Question: Which one of these is NOT a common name for this handsome spring ephemeral? Shooting star Prairie pointer Prairie primrose Roosterheads …
Type: Blog
… To commemorate Juneteenth, we invited Chicago writer Tequia Burt to write about the importance of … garden, I grow at least one African American heirloom crop, partly to commemorate Juneteenth. For Black Americans, Juneteenth marks the final liberation of our ancestors held as slaves on … forgiving, and prolific crop. Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds/rareseeds.com Aunt Lou’s Underground Railroad Tomato This heirloom seed is still with us today because an …
Type: Blog
… flower. The corm of an Amorphophallus titanum : after a dozen or so years, it’s large enough to produce a bloom! Spike just keeps on growing at the Semitropical Greenhouse, and visitors are … to add up. An Amorphophallus titanum shoot to the right of a leaf stalk provides comparison for determining the slight bulge, which could mean a flower bud. The emerging Amorphophallus … and expertise. Their final confirmations gave us the thumbs up to go public with the big news that Spike would soon blast into bloom! Like first-time parents, we are learning as we go. I …
Type: Blog
… When you lift a rock in your garden and glimpse earthworms and tiny insects hustling for cover, you’ve just encountered the celebrities of soil. We all know them on sight. The leggy, … science is that you can’t see into it so you really depend on a lot of techniques and methods to work out what’s happening,” explained Dr. Egerton-Warburton, associate conservation scientist … line of work. “ There’s a real need for soil ecologists in the country ,” she said. The good news is that the future story of fungi is one we can all help to script. Gardeners, she advised, …
Type: Blog
… Garden, we were reminded of the pure joy that plants can bring. Alice provided special moments for many people—including me. On September 28, at 12:51 a.m., I received a text from the Chicago … director, facilities and maintenance, joined us soon after. I don’t have scientific evidence to support this, but it was my impression that Alice “knew” we were there; maybe our warmth and … even more intense. There would be a lot of activity very soon, but we shared a quiet moment to reflect on this rare phenomenon and the extraordinary dedication of so many to reach this …
Type: Blog
