… these trees were displayed in this fashion here at the Garden, giving visitors the opportunity to see tropical and subtropical trees that otherwise would not be able to be shown in our courtyards until late May, due to temperature requirements. This crape … and some are broadleaf evergreens—this is a deciduous variety. Crape myrtles are most famous for their flowers, which grow as clusters of small blooms. Flowering typically takes place …
Type: Blog
… I’ve stated before, we in the education department of the Chicago Botanic Garden are committed to helping parents and teachers find great projects that teach students how plants sustain and … or an entire class. Let’s begin by thinking about tomato seeds. Cut open a tomato and try to pick out a single seed. Go ahead and try it, I’ll wait. These tomato seeds glisten and mock me … and other fruit ripening in your kitchen, because it can attract fruit flies. Leave it there for three to five days, depending on the conditions. Natural “beasties” in the air (yeast) will …
Type: Blog
… My daughters 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 become our bird feeder. To make a grapefruit bird feeder, you will need the following: Half a … be able to hang it from a branch. Finally, fill the fruit with birdseed and hang it outside for your feathered friends to enjoy. If you like, you can add a little suet, but you may find it …
Type: Blog
… Garden North Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden Ayse Pogue is the senior horticulturist for the Malott Japanese Garden. She is also responsible for overseeing and coordinating the … Evaluation Garden and the Children's Outdoor Classroom. Two years later, she was promoted to horticulturist in the Dwarf Conifer Garden and the Waterfall Garden, and then to her current position. Inspired by her work at the Garden, Pogue decided to continue her formal …
Type: Staff bio
… celebrates the achievements of women in all fields and walks of life. It’s also a day to advance the cause of gender balance in every aspect of our lives—an equal number of men and … 21 percent of full science professors in the United States are women. When students are asked to name pioneers in conservation biology, they tend to name men. Rarely do they mention some of the amazing women who have opened the door for so many of us following in their footsteps: marine biologist Rachel Carson, conservationist …
Type: Blog
… What better way to celebrate spring and keep kids busy than with mud? All you need is a muddy buddy, a few basic supplies, and a sprinkling of imagination to try these fun, nature-based ideas at home. Mud Cupcakes Remember making mud pies as a kid? … a paper grocery bag or use newspaper to spread out on a table. This creates a clear work space for your child and makes clean up a breeze. 2. Grab a small pail to make the mud in. Let your …
Type: Blog
… big, hairy atlas moth cocoons, and I was a little concerned about whether they would have time to emerge before we have to shut our doors for the season. When I came into the pupae chamber a few days after they arrived, there was a …
Type: Blog
… you call it, Tradescantia ohiensis is just one of the prairie plants that has a unique story to tell. Tradescantia ohiensis , better known to most as spiderwort, blooms in late spring in moist prairies. Its brilliant, royal blue flowers … composed of three petals contrast with its six bright yellow anthers, each flower opening for a few hours in the morning or longer if cloudy. Spiderwort belongs to the Commelinaceae, the …
Type: Blog
… A bridge can be a portal, a passage, a strategic position, an arrival, a departure, or a place to meet halfway. And of course bridges can be marvelously romantic, as anyone who’s gasped at a … Golden Gate Bridge or taken a Parisian boat ride on the Seine can attest. Bridges are integral to the Chicago Botanic Garden, too, built as it is on nine islands. For a lovely summer evening, take a long walk together…cross these six romantic bridges …
Type: Blog
… the Prairie Series Life in the prairie in the middle of winter is fairly uneventful; at least for humans who focus primarily on life above ground. Perhaps now is a good time to reflect on the diversity of life in a prairie below ground. All one has to do is drive across the Midwest and view the unending and, to many, boring, miles of corn and …
Type: Blog
