… For many people, lilacs are a sentimental flower. My mother planted many lilacs on our farm in … will have the same heavenly memory of the fragrance and flower. Over the years I have tried to bring the bounty of this flower into my home and have often failed. The flowers would droop … I had them in a clean vase full of fresh water. Through trial and error I found the trick to help the blooms last as long as possible: Fill a bucket Fill a bucket half full of fresh, cool …
Type: Blog
… 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 Monday, August 21, 2017, …
Type: Blog
… day this past May that 15 veterans from the Thresholds Veterans Project began a journey to be well in the Buehler Enabling Garden. Inspirations: “Keep Going” planter, with a side of coffee. We toured the garden, got to know each other, and sipped on coffee. Lots of coffee. The activity I led was called … of kitchen herbs to cook with, as well as a message of encouragement they could reference for inspiration in their daily life. After the first retreat was done, I thought to myself, “Wow! …
Type: Blog
… can expect good growth in spring. The yellow whips of this willow make an excellent contrast to the snow in most landscapes. The fruit of eastern wahoo ( Euonymous atropurpureus ) creates a … in spring! Snow brings an important nutrient into the soil: nitrogen There are not many ways for nitrogen to enter the soil. While planting legumes and adding fertilizer are the most common ways we add …
Type: Blog
… on gardens, arts and culture, and conservation, I took advantage of the great opportunity to publicize some Brazilian orchids that have been among my favorites all the years I have grown … or the hybrids derived from them. Just a few of the well-known orchids that are indigenous to Brazil are many of the Cattleya species as well as many of the former Sophronitis and … as the number of species and their habitats, but where they naturally occur provides clues for how to grow them in cultivation. Luckily, the vast orchid literature available often includes …
Type: Blog
… he has worked since 2001. As part of his job, he is the grower and buyer of all the plants for the seasonal annual displays, containers, hanging baskets, and specialty plant displays. He … the high-impact horticulture displays and unusual plants and flowers that the Garden displays to create excitement for plants. He has a bachelor of science degree in landscape horticulture, … University. Pollak writes for newspapers and other media and appears regularly on local TV news segments to discuss gardening topics. He is also a regular instructor for the Joseph …
Type: Staff bio
… Welcome to winter, one of the best seasons for gardeners. You have time to plan, prune, and enjoy those houseplants that don’t get much love during the outdoor growing …
Type: Blog
… a question we heard a lot from Spike’s visitors this past weekend. The titan arum, native to the rainforests of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, was first “discovered” by Italian … is the date we put Spike on public view!) . Several weeks later, Beccari saw a flowering plant for the first time. He sent a few tubers and seeds to Florence, Italy, but the tubers all perished; a few seeds, however, eventually germinated. One …
Type: Blog
… and love as table sugar. Now that you know where your candy comes from, let’s use some sucrose to make a treat. The common sugar beet, Beta vulgaris (this one is cultivar ‘Bull’s Blood’), is … Rock candy is pure, crystallized sucrose, and you can make it at home. This takes one to two weeks, so be prepared to be patient. How to Make Rock (Sugar) Candy All the ingredients for the solution are assembled and ready to go. Note: the flavoring pictured here is not the best …
Type: Blog
… When it comes to controlling invasive plants, a little faith can’t hurt. This is particularly true for garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata). We have been struggling to get this highly invasive … is having a significant negative effect on garlic mustard (see woodsandprairie.blogspot.com ). Observers have reported an almost complete absence of garlic mustard in areas that are …
Type: Blog
