… Fahrenheit outside right now, but that’s not stopping the Dwarf Conifer Garden from shining. In fact, many of the conifers are at their peak during the coldest weather. While other plants have gone dormant for the winter, various conifers are lighting up the landscape in shades of blue, yellow, bronze, plum, and more. Platycladus orientalis ‘Elegantisima’ and … view the landscape. Contrasting textures and shapes keep the garden interesting even when snow is minimal. Fresh snow highlights the different textures found throughout the garden. The Dwarf …
Type: Blog
… are affected by a changing climate. Budburst , a project adopted by the Chicago Botanic Garden in 2017, brings together citizens, research scientists, educators, and horticulturists to study … to hear about your observations on Fall into Phenology,a study on the autumnal changes you see in plants, or the Nativars Research Project, which looks at how bees, butterflies, and other … pollinators react to cultivated varieties of native plants. Budburst's Fall into Phenology is not limited to just leaf color and seed; it is about observing plants in the fall. This will …
Type: Blog
… Garden get creative this time of year, sharing harvests of fruit, nuts, herbs, and more in creative—and delicious—style. We asked our staff to share their handmade gift ideas, and their … to six eggs she gets every day and handing them out as precious gifts, perfectly presented in a green berry box softened with raffia. Not just for Easter: Plymouth Barred Rock hen eggs are … With care, amaryllis will repeat the show next year. This long-lasting pink and coral beauty is Hippeastrum ‘Amalfi’. Amaryllis ( Hippeastrum ‘Amalfi’) make great “repeat” gifts. A Tiny …
Type: Blog
… When spring unfurls, the trillium are among the stars of the native wildflowers—and in coming years, the show at the Chicago Botanic Garden will be even more spectacular. A ground-level view of forest trilliums in spring bloom White trillium ( Trillium grandiflorum ) Little sweet Betsy ( Trillium cuneatum ) Yellow wakerobin ( Trillium luteum ) The Chicago Botanic Garden is collaborating with the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Alabama on a Trillium conservation …
Type: Blog
… especially if it’s a closed terrarium. 4. Use a clean, well-drained growing medium that is high in organic matter. A blend of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite is a good choice. Soil should … to your light conditions. Add a mixture of plants with small or large leaves, short and tall in height, and other variations. Add color, either with foliage color and interest, or with …
Type: Blog
… In other seasons, people tend to breeze right by conifers in favor of, say, roses that scent summer evenings or crabapple trees that flower in the spring. … well-being. One easy way to do that at the Chicago Botanic Garden or anywhere you walk is to seek out the company of evergreens. That includes most conifers, which are plants that …
Type: Blog
… We’ve officially reached planting season, and it is now safe to put in warm-season flowering annuals, vines, herbs, and vegetables. … such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and squash. Happy planting! Summer plantings await in the production greenhouses. Get the best performance from your plants with these tips from the …
Type: Blog
… Thanksgiving is here again, and we at the Chicago Botanic Garden are thankful for all the pollinators who make … make such a big difference—pollinators! Draw and color the foods you are eating at your feast in the center of your plate on our placemat. Check the answer key to see who pollinated them. … on the image above to download our placemat to enjoy with your feast. The ideal printing size is tabloid (11 x 17 inches). Letter size paper (8.5 x 11 inches) will also work if you choose …
Type: Blog
… It’s easy to find fun outdoors—with sticks, chirpy crickets, magic circles, and more. “Hands in earth, sand, mud: building, digging, sewing, baking—these are what humans DO.” For fun, … used to do this all the time, and now she’s a wildlife biologist.” 1. Pick up a Stick How cool is this? In 2008, the stick was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame! It’s in great company: the …
Type: Blog
… the Chicago Botanic Garden: you get great ideas for your own garden. I put one of them to work in my new "all vegetable" front yard garden this weekend. Horticulture program specialist Nancy Clifton faced the challenge of labeling dozens of different heirloom tomato varieties in containers. Her solution was simple and elegant: gather up the paint stirrers and get out the chalkboard paint! The photos are testament to how easy it is: assemble a pile of paintable wooden markers-to-be, scrub-brush lightly under running water, …
Type: Blog
