… David Cantwell is the assistant horticulturist for the Garden Wall and Berm—the exterior plantings at the Chicago Botanic Garden's signature brick wall stretching along the western border from Lake Cook Road south to Dundee Road, consisting of more than eight acres of planting beds, more than 100 plant taxa, … assistant working in the Landscape Demonstration Garden. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to Grounds department crew leader and then in 2008 to assistant horticulturist for the Garden …
Type: Staff bio
… changes in projected species distributions between now and 2080. The goal of the research is to help BLM to make informed management decisions regarding rare plants. The research takes them to many exciting destinations searching for rare plants in the west. The dwarf bear-poppy The genus Arctomecon (also known as …
Type: Blog
… We humans have used technology to become masters of communication. But we are far from the only species with an impressive array of “superhuman” abilities. Butterflies have unique features they use for socializing, mating, warding off predators, and more! Scarlet Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia) Photo by Bill Bishoff Consider the butterfly’s ability to see ultraviolet light. UV light is a spectrum of light between 10 and 400 nanometers that …
Type: Blog
… On the virtually treeless plains of Nebraska almost 150 years, ago a day was set aside to celebrate and appreciate trees—Arbor Day. This year we have selected the genus Quercus , the oaks, as an exemplar of why trees are important to us and our environment. Quercus rubra standing tall at the Garden There are 461 species of … southwest are estimated to be well over 1,000 years old. They have been part of human culture for millennia wherever they are found. Young acorns on a Quercus imbricaria Quercus robur …
Type: Blog
… series, Remus Lupin, a tormented werewolf, drinks a potion of wolfsbane carefully concocted to control his transformations. As early as Dracula in 1931, wolfsbane casually replaced garlic as a repellent for vampires in film. Nevertheless, the correlation of wolfsbane with the supernatural predates … from the toxic slobber of a three-headed dog named Cerberus, the scary canine guardian to the gates of Hell. In the Dark Ages, wolfsbane was said to be used by witches in spells and …
Type: Blog
… Dye-ing for nature-based fun? Forgo the food coloring and kits, and go for naturally safe, naturally … of what you need is probably already in your own kitchen and pantry. The tools you’ll need to create your own egg dyes Step 1: Gather your supplies. Stainless steel utensils and glass containers won’t stain; always rinse utensils as you go from color to color, so there’s no contamination. Pint and half-pint Ball jars or heat-safe glass bowls (the …
Type: Blog
… Cathy Thomas is the plant propagator for the Plant Production department. One of her responsibilities is sowing seeds for the annual … and camps. She is especially interested in the complex strategies that plants have developed to prevent the germination of their seeds until conditions are favorable for the seedlings' survival. In her work, she researches and tests different techniques to break these germination inhibitors present in the seeds of native plants grown for restoration …
Type: Staff bio
… Rigoberto Montoya is an assistant grower for the Plant Production department's indoor floriculture division. He is responsible for the day-to-day care of plants, and he comes up with innovative ways to grow the specialty crops for display. He also assists with the delivery of plants to the …
Type: Staff bio
… Horticultural therapy has proven benefits for individuals with autism. The integration of horticultural therapy and therapy gardens within … grown exponentially in recent years. In senior centers, gardening and garden spaces are used to help with fine motor skills, socialization, and ambulatory movement. In veteran’s hospitals, … three primary benefits I observed: quiet fascination and stimuli reduction, the ability to follow direction, and tactile sensory integration. The first benefit has to do with the …
Type: Blog
… Christian Acevedo, a Garden intern from Miami Dade College through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. He did research for Budburst , a project by the Chicago Botanic Garden to work with community scientists and experts to better understand how plant species and ecosystems are responding to human impacts, such as …
Type: Blog
