… the path of his life. He began volunteering in 2011 and did so on and off until 2014. Thanks to an introduction by Sustic, Baker spent six months in 2012 studying with bonsai master Torho Susuki at the Diajuen Nursery in Japan. Returning to the U.S. in late 2012, Baker was awarded the “First Curators” Internship at the U.S. National … 2014 Baker was hired as the first full time curator of bonsai at Chicago Botanic Garden. Baker is the President of the North American Bonsai Federation and a board member of the World Bonsai …
Type: Staff bio
… Deciduous trees, explains Boyce Tankersley, director of living plant documentation, respond to environmental conditions when preparing to go dormant for the winter. Just like animals that hibernate, trees slow their processes down … it isn’t a regular year. The heat can be a factor. Expect color, but some years, the display is shorter than usual. “The higher the temperature, the faster the processes go,” Tankersley …
Type: Blog
… joys of spring. Under the calm and creative eye of Field & Florist’s Heidi Joynt, we learned to turn those branches into lovely, living wreaths in a perfectly timed class at the Chicago … ) Pussy willow varieties Flowering almond ( Prunus triloba ) Heidi Joynt demonstrated how to layer in curly willow cuttings and delicate flowering branches like bridal veil and bridal … or curly willow wreath (purchased or handmade). That’s how surprisingly simple the process is. As everyone clipped and pondered and designed, Joynt offered helpful wreath-making and …
Type: Blog
… As the Curator at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Jess Goehler is responsible for the acquisition, development, use, research, and interpretation of the … expeditions. Additionally, she plays a role in the Garden’s breeding and evaluation programs to incorporate successful trials and new releases from Chicagoland Grows® Plant Introduction . … the nationally accredited collections of Baptisia, Geranium, Spiraea , and Quercus (multi-site) and displaying non-hardy plant collections for public enjoyment. Originally, a native of …
Type: Staff bio
… into a game. We paired unusual plant containers with plants that had some relationship to those planters and asked teachers to guess the connections. We provided an easy example to start. You can duplicate this game using … A pitcher plant growing inside a beverage pitcher was a favorite table display. (This pitcher is a species of Nepenthes.) Home tips Since these containers were not made for plants, you may …
Type: Blog
… Summer is in the air. As the nights heat up, it’s a perfect time to get outdoors and entertain in your … garden. Chicago Botanic Garden floriculturist Tim Pollak shares how you can bring the party to your garden with a few simple tricks for evening entertaining. Plant light-colored flowers …
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! Mompha species moth; photo taken in Utah … , 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 …
Type: Blog
… Just when the hostas, lilies, and other garden perennials are going to bed for the season, these bulbs are waking up. Arum Arum italicum ‘Jet Black Wonder’ has … 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
… we onlookers stop in our tracks, smile goofily, gawk unabashedly…and let our thoughts turn to romance. Over the years, the Garden has been the site of many a romantic story for both staff and visitors. With summer in full swing—and romance … Garden that bears the dedication “Will you marry me?” (Scott asked Laura; she said yes) is still called the “marry me tree” by our staff. (Curious romantic? Find this unusual maple …
Type: Blog
… Helen Bartlett is the horticulturist for Evening Island, which was designed in the New American Garden style of …
Type: Staff bio
