… black eyebrows dance when he talks, bringing to mind the woolly bear caterpillars abundant in the fall. A playfulness—tinged with the macabre—also shows in the jack-o-lantern characters Obenchain created for HallowFest, the Garden’s former … the shape of the pumpkin has the idea. The pumpkin determines what you’re going to carve. How is it going to sit? Is it a “Bert” or an “Ernie”? (A Bert has a more elongated shape, while an …
Type: Blog
… Just like magic, a ghost orchid ( Dendrophylax lindenii) appears overhead in a Florida swamp. Its pale roots extend like gloved fingers across the bark of a pond apple … shadowed water below. Doctoral student Lynnaun Johnson wades over for a closer look. Habitat is shrinking for this reclusive orchid, and he is using a unique approach to better understand the species’ uncommon lifestyle. During March 2016 fieldwork in the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Johnson went deeper every day—even when it meant …
Type: Blog
… and—critically—more forgiving of ourselves. Additional evidence of this has been published in recent issues of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature . Gardeners recognize this power: We find therapy digging in the earth, getting our hands dirty, and participating intimately in the miracles of life, as … even when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate with our harvest, she doesn’t let us down. Nature is generally consistent, and when it isn’t, it is surprisingly consistent in its inconsistency. …
Type: Blog
… and grow! Whether you are a parent, teacher, or caregiver, teaching children to plant seeds is a simple and authentic way to help them engage with nature. It’s an activity that the littlest … can do “all by myself,” or at least with minimal help from you. Growing future gardeners in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden Planting seeds leads to discussions about what seeds … our peas in the raised beds at the Fruit & Vegetable Garden. Bring all the supplies out to the site. Have each child choose where they would like to dig their hole. Pass out a trowel and plant …
Type: Blog
… grotesque and compared to an eyeless worm. And our friends at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London described it as “the ugliest orchid in the world.” The not-so-pretty Gastrodia agnicellus orchid is just one of the new discoveries and developments I’ve tracked recently, as curator of the …
Type: Blog
… heads (Green Ball dianthus), and Engelmann creeper vine (for the bow) were all collected in the Fruit & Vegetable Garden. Circle, Ring, Wreath This is a BIG wreath—great for an outdoor wall. Flint. Dent. Sweet. Flour. Pod. Pop. Regenstein Fruit … beautiful heirloom varieties with names like ‘Blue Jade’, ‘Glass Gem’, and ‘Golden Bantam’—in a seasonless sunburst. The French saying on this wreath translates to, “the moon is my light …
Type: Blog
… When I was growing up, there were certain animals I was saddened to think I would never see in my lifetime. There were those species that had become extinct, of course, like passenger … losses were in the past. Unfortunately, the loss of species has not stopped, or lessened, but is increasing at an ever-greater pace, and we are now in what is referred to as the Sixth Mass … and expand, the Garden will be lucky enough to have a pair of these majestic birds nesting on site in one of the large cottonwoods ringing our lake system. Until then, keep your eyes to the …
Type: Blog
… love fresh grapefruit—and birds. So we decided to keep the rind and make a bird feeder. This is a fun, easy project. The grapefruit sections have been cut and eaten; the rind is ready to … grapefruit and drain the remaining liquid. Then, use the skewer or knife to poke three holes in the grapefruit. They should be about half an inch from the top edge and spaced evenly around … like, you can add a little suet, but you may find it doesn’t stick well to the wet fruit. Here in the Chicago area, you’ll probably find that most of your winter guests are black-capped …
Type: Blog
… soon—we’ve got plenty of benches throughout our 385-acre grounds, some of them tucked away in secluded areas and others more public. We asked Leora Siegel, senior director of the Lenhardt … 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 the recipient). Bonus for members: While the Lenhardt Library is closed, more than 7,000 horticulture and gardening e-books are now available for online …
Type: Blog
… Putting roses to sleep for winter In early November, many of the roses that bloom twice per year (called remontant, or repeat-blooming) were still putting on quite a show in the Krasberg Rose Garden. Even that late in the season, the garden looked exceptionally … the garden looks entirely different. The process that our staff uses to prep roses for winter is the same process you can use in your rose garden, too. Step 1: Prune canes. While early spring …
Type: Blog
