… Landscape Waste Program As manager of horticulture services, Cindy Baker is responsible for the care and maintenance of more than 100 acres of ornamental landscaping. She also manages … 250 college students and public garden professionals. She also was the first project manager for the Skokie River Restoration Project—an 11-acre transformation of an eroded stream bank zone … events, and classes at the Garden since 1988. She is a regular guest on the WGN-TV Morning News "Botanic Backyard" segments. Baker is also a frequent speaker at the American Public Garden …
Type: Staff bio
… Helen Bartlett is the horticulturist for Evening Island, which was designed in the New American Garden style of landscape design, … on the Green Roof and the Evaluation Gardens. Bartlett then was assistant horticulturist for the Graham Bulb Garden, Aquatic Garden, and Viburnum Walk. She has been fascinated with the …
Type: Staff bio
… working on conservation genomics of Amsonia tharpii and reconstructing the evolutionary tree for Amsonia . My graduate school work focused on the systematics, taxonomy, and biogeography of …
Type: Staff bio
… Lisa Hilgenberg searched out several practical, good-looking, decently-priced solutions for bringing veggie vininess under control in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden . Forget …
Type: Blog
… are biased toward larger moths, overlooking the multitude of tiny ones. Despite this tendency to favor larger species, the average moth is actually quite small, though far from nondescript! … , the largest genus within the family Momphidae. Mompha are tiny moths characterized by 4- to 8-millimeter tufted forewings and distinct color patterns. Specimens up close: Mompha … North America, there are approximately 40 described species, or taxa, of Mompha . In addition to these identified species, a number of undescribed taxa are located throughout the North …
Type: Blog
… I manage the Plants of Concern, a citizen science rare-plant monitoring program designed to gather standardized, long-term regional monitoring data to detect population trends. The program is a collaboration of trained citizen scientists, land managers, and researchers using science to best conserve rare plants and habitats. In addition to our regional monitoring work, Plants of …
Type: Staff bio
… this week, our favorite came from 8-year-old Prairie! In the video below, Prairie wants to know, in essence, if she can transport Spike’s malodorous odor from the Chicago Botanic Garden to her classroom. Good question, Prairie! Conservation scientist Dr. Shannon Still has a fascinating response. Dr. Still will attempt to pollinate Spike’s flowers during bloom with pollen shared by our friends from The Huntington …
Type: Blog
… in the wild—and in a greenhouse. Wade Wheatley, assistant horticulturist, seized the moment to hand-pollinate the flower. Why hand pollinate? In hopes of producing a vanilla bean. Yes, the fruit of a vanilla orchid is used to make pure vanilla extract, which flavors many foods we enjoy. Vanilla vines typically begin to flower at five years or older. Flowers are produced in clusters, with one flower opening each …
Type: Blog
… (You will typically see the eyespots when the butterflies’ wings are closed.) This is thought to help them ward off predators. Caligo translates to “darkness,” which corresponds to the fact that they prefer to fly in the early morning before their predators are out and …
Type: Blog
… and distribution of fungi and the factors influencing these patterns. Thus, in addition to spearheading survey and inventory projects in China and Latin America and undertaking … of Laccaria – Hydnangium clade and other model taxa, I have investigatied how fungi respond to anthropogenic stress and restoration efforts in the Chicago area, conservation practices in … This includes capacity building, raising awareness, creating tools, and leading efforts to assess the conservation status of fungi I co-created and direct the Global Fungal Red List …
Type: Staff bio
