… These days, we text hearts. But in Victorian times, flowers acted as the instant messaging and emojis of the day. In nineteenth-century Europe (and eventually in America), communication by flower was all the … paused for a very long moment before responding. Clearly, her answer would have weight. “It is the single most outstanding donation in my tenure as director,” she replied. …
Type: Blog
… wrap them up completely and get them back indoors as soon as you can. Holiday plants come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Take the beautiful but dreaded poinsettia. It's beautiful because the red, cream, or sparkle-laden plants are dazzling. But it is also dreaded because the plant will drop its leaves in warm and dry air, cold drafts, or direct sunlight. There’s hope—and you need not be a …
Type: Blog
… Most butterflies and moths featured in popular magazines and other media are large, well-known species, such as monarchs and luna … the multitude of tiny ones. Despite this tendency to favor larger species, the average moth is actually quite small, though far from nondescript! Mompha species moth; photo taken in Utah My research at the Chicago Botanic Garden focuses on an insufficiently studied moth …
Type: Blog
… forcing branches to bloom indoors. Spring-flowering trees and shrubs form their flower buds in late summer or fall before the plants go dormant for the winter. The buds can be forced into bloom indoors in late winter or early spring. magnolia ( Magnolia ) crabapple or apple ( Malus ) redbud ( … indoors in water it may take one to four weeks for the blossoms to open, although two weeks is typical. The closer to their natural bloom time you cut the branches, the sooner they will …
Type: Blog
… have captivating flowers that look like they escaped from a Dr. Seuss book. The foliage is heart-shaped, with blushing purple undersides. The purple hues will fade with low light levels, so keep this plant in strong, indirect light. Keep it on the drier side during the winter; water it regularly during … pitcher plant every few months to keep it fed and happy. Keep this plant moist; it does best in a humid and bright area. Your rock for the winter Lithops Lithops are fascinating succulent …
Type: Blog
… ‘Jet Black Wonder’ has unique black spots and pink- tinged flowers. Arum first emerge in the late fall. The broad, arrow-shaped leaves of Arum italicum are highly ornamental and … be planted where they won’t tempt any children or pets to eat them. If located in an ideal site, they will reseed and form a ground cover. There are dozens of varieties, each with its own … shady spot that doesn’t stay wet; otherwise the bulb will rot. A great place to plant cyclamen is under deciduous trees, where the leaf canopy will protect the dormant tubers from excess rain. …
Type: Blog
… Research Institute—among others, discovered for the first time how the tropical rainforest in South America responded to the asteroid impact that ended the reign of dinosaurs, approximately 66 million years ago. Their new study, published in Science , shows that the event caused an approximate 45 percent extinction of plants in what is now Colombia. This research took almost two decades, discovering more than 6,000 fossil leaves …
Type: Research
… of the Chicago Botanic Garden and Kasey Bersett Eaves, owner of Vivant Gardening Services in Chicago, teamed up to create delicious mixers for cocktails. You can easily make these … cocktails at home. What makes a cocktail botanical? Mainly, herbs. Just about any herb in your garden can be used to flavor drinks. Herbs + fresh fruit = a delicious base for all sorts … it was originally used as a way to preserve food. It’s also helpful to know what muddling is. The process of gently bruising the leaves of herbs releases the fresh, green taste and aroma …
Type: Blog
… 22 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, the creative team started by squinting at squares of color in the slant of the afternoon sun. The colors had to pop in daylight and for Orchids After Hours , an evening look at the Show with cocktails and light … Our collection of young orchids will be displayed in a case, as conditions allow. The Garden is one of the few institutions in the world to have ghost orchids. Fast facts quiz Click on each …
Type: Blog
… the temperatures drop too low, the covering can freeze to the plant and damage it. Circulation is always good, so give your plants “breathing room” if you cover them. Leave some plants alone. … Your plants won’t stand a chance if you don’t also protect the containers you’ve planted them in. If you use terra cotta pots, keep them dry in cold temperatures. If they’re wet and then freeze, cracks can form. Containers made from …
Type: Blog
