… a closer look, you’ll notice signs of wildlife all around you, too. Their connection makes for the best kind of codependency. Killdeer, a shorebird that commonly nests at the Garden. … on each other, and the bond between them creates a healthy ecosystem. Plants provide food for various wildlife and, at the Garden, you can find examples of this everywhere. The milkweed … Sometimes, nature lends a helping hand to protect the plants, too. Foxes and coyotes that visit the Garden on occasion chase away geese and voles, small rodents that damage the bark of …
Type: Blog
… “Back then, we were getting ready to pack it in,” says Tom Soulsby, senior horticulturist for the Rose Garden, Heritage Garden, and the Linden Allée. Tom is responsible for curating and maintaining a collection of more than 5,000 roses in one of the largest public … years and Soulsby has no reason to believe that trend will not continue. “We continue to care for roses now as we do in June and July—we water, mulch, and keep on top of the deadheading to …
Type: Plant Info
… the way through the plants' root zones. "People ignore that," he says. "They may work the soil for a couple of inches, but they are not really getting down where the roots form." Who wants to … dirt is not the way most of us want to spend our Saturday. Yet good soil, whether purchased for pots or created in the garden by adding organic matter, is the absolute foundation for … in the ground. To save headaches, spend the money to get a reputable potting mix that is weed-free. However, it's not critical for potting mixes to be used for mature plants, Pollak says. You …
Type: Plant Info
… We love nature here at the Chicago Botanic Garden, so we looked to the natural world for inspiration on how to enjoy the eclipse— here at the Garden , or in your own backyard. On … Shore Other ideas: Use everyday objects that already have holes—like colanders or crackers, for example—or by punching a hole in a piece of cardboard or other sturdy material. If you want a … Event The Garden partnered with the Adler Planetarium to host a solar eclipse viewing event. Free special viewing glasses were available so visitors could safely view the eclipse directly. …
Type: Blog
… Sure, they are fun pets and a good educational tool for your kids, as well as a great source of fresh eggs. But what do chickens have to do with the … amount of organic waste. A mother hen teaches her chicks to forage. By fir0002 | flagstaffotos.com.au [ GFDL 1.2 ], via Wikimedia Commons An adult chicken eats around 9 pounds of food per … flock of chickens can turn all that vegetable matter from your kitchen into highly effective, free fertilizer. Chicken feet at work! These feet are made for scratching—and ridding your yard …
Type: Blog
… he fell in love with “how resilient and amazing nature is.” Clarence Smith’s family has farmed for generations in Michigan and Mississippi; Windy City Harvest programs “brought him back to his roots,” and helped him discover that he has a knack for the business side of farming. Put these three Chicagoans together, and the Big Three—their … tastes different because it doesn’t have any pesticides, it’s organically grown and chemical-free. It makes a big difference." In the name of keeping their food local, Smith is constantly …
Type: Blog
… with the diverse plants appropriately themed to each specific garden. A fine starting point for this walk is the Great Basin, the Garden’s central lake, which is surrounded by gardens that … the roses, irises, daylilies, bulbs, and sages are massed by the hundreds, even thousands, for their color impact visible across the water. This time, too, is when the waterlilies and … is every gardener’s dream. Look and listen for all our water sources on your next Garden visit. …
Type: Walks
… Resale stores, antique shops, and garage or estate sales can be rewarding if you’re looking for inexpensive, unusual containers to hold your plants. The only caveat is that if the container … pots that sit on narrow trays to catch any water. The windows face south and are perfect for her sun-loving succulents planted in old empty spice tins that have a few drainage holes in … ( Streptocarpus ), nerve plant ( Fittonia ), and money plant ( Pilea ). And, the next time you visit the Garden, stop by the Greenhouses where fragrant flowering plants, seasonal plants, and …
Type: Plant Info
… where her classroom was the first to include students from TrueNorth, an education cooperative for students with disabilities. Keira remembered that one of her TrueNorth friends used music to … was incredible,” Shannon said. “She had tools in her toolbox to be kind to other children.” For these preschoolers, the logic is simple: Different people need different things, and if you … Nature Preschooler described the TrueNorth students as her “TrueNorth neighbors”: They visit the Nature Preschool classrooms, and at the end of their time they go back to their own …
Type: Blog
… productive small-space garden. The cycle of selecting seeds or small plants, digging a garden for them, nurturing the plants, harvesting the bounty, and eating the delicious, nutritious final … source and easy to access, since food crops require hands-on tending, watering, and monitoring for problems—as well as daily checking on how big and colorful those veggies are getting! Start … A simple drawing of the garden is visually helpful and shows exactly how much space you have for each plant. This will prevent over-purchasing at the garden center. To prevent the tallest …
Type: Plant Info
