… bloom in August, they immediately thought, “puppet.” An unusual thought, unless you happen to be Ross…or his mom, Debi Gerbasi…or artist Jessica Plummer. These three started making puppets … project. Slowly, the basement of Debi’s house turned into a creative factory, with floor-to-ceiling plastic walls around the sanders, saws, and drills. (A separate, dust-free area houses … sewing room.) Jessica took the creative lead for shaping the titan puppet, which is made of foam. Paper templates came first; next came foam that could be heated, bent, sanded, …
Type: Blog
… It’s finally starting to feel like spring in Chicago, which means it’s time to get those home gardens up and running. In the Horticultural Therapy Department, we’re in the process of setting up our off-site gardens at facilities all over the greater Chicago area. These gardens come in all shapes … Enabling Garden. To start your own home horticultural therapy garden, the first thing you need is a good container. At the Buehler Enabling Garden, as well as off-site gardens, horticultural …
Type: Blog
… Betsy ( Trillium cuneatum ) Yellow wakerobin ( Trillium luteum ) The Chicago Botanic Garden is collaborating with the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Alabama on a Trillium conservation … Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 1997. The rhizomes were grown out in the nursery, and in two to three years, the Trillium plants will be replanted in areas to be determined throughout the Garden. Currently, the Chicago Botanic Garden has eight species …
Type: Blog
… and conservation initiative began after Garden horticulturist Lisa Hilgenberg happened to meet Aaron Keefer, the culinary gardener for the renowned French Laundry restaurant in California’s Napa Valley. At a conference in Iowa, their conversation turned to the rare Marshall strawberry, known for its exceptional flavor. Keefer mentioned that he would … where the prepaid lunch tasting menu begins at $310 a person. Marshall strawberry What is the Marshall strawberry? The Marshall strawberry has a storied history. In the early twentieth …
Type: Blog
… In August, when the jewelweed and cardinal flowers bloom, the ruby-throated hummingbird is migrating. It’s perfect timing, because the hummingbirds get energy for their journey southward by sipping nectar from the blossoms of these plants native to northern Illinois. Ruby-throated hummingbird © Carol Freeman The ruby-throat is the only hummingbird to breed in eastern North America, and these tiny jewels are somewhat common nesters in Cook …
Type: Blog
… Conifer Garden Waterfall Garden Sensory Garden Circle Garden Lakeside Gardens Heather Sherwood is the senior horticulturist for the Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden. She also is responsible for the West Flower Walk, McGinley Pavilion, Runnells Courtyard, and Searle … 2000, when she started out as a grower for the Plant Production department. She was promoted to supervisor of specialty areas in 2003 and then moved into her current position in 2005. …
Type: Staff bio
… know that one in every three bites of food you take required a pollinator visit? Pollination is essential for many of our favorite foods—from almonds to vanilla, and so many fruits and vegetables in between. The decline of pollinators around the … in the lid. I recall with pleasure catching and admiring monarchs up close until it was time to set them free. I worry that children may not have that simple pleasure much longer. After an …
Type: Blog
… you use them? We asked horticulturist Nancy Clifton, who brought five really fresh ideas to the table. Today’s blue plate special: flavorful greens finished with blue flower petals. 1. … + color Gone are the days of a plain side salad on a white plate: today, even a tiny saladette is vibrant with color and flavors. Start with a blue (or green) plate. Add a piquant mix of salad … Pick freshly-bloomed dandelions (just the blossom, no stem) from a trusted, chemical-free site. Gently wash the blossoms. While moist, lightly flour each flower (shake with ½ cup seasoned …
Type: Blog
… Fast and graceful, hummingbirds flit from flower to flower—but which ones and why? A Chicago Botanic Garden scientist and his collaborators have … unexpected findings on the subject. It’s a common perception that plants are perfectly matched to their pollinators and that each pollinator has a specific flower type that they are attracted … many gardeners and scientists alike have long assumed their flower type to be one that is strikingly red, tubular, and scentless. Flowers that are often thought of as typical choices …
Type: Blog
… Have you been to the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden lately? If you have, you probably saw some of the … think of niwaki as big bonsai, but that relationship isn’t exactly right. Bonsai translates to “tray (or pot) planting.” While we may think of niwaki as big bonsai, we should try to think … last year and where you expect the new growth to emerge. The result of breaking these candles is that the new growth spreads more horizontally than vertically, and the density of the pads …
Type: Blog
