… after a windy day, I discovered a large red oak that had lost its foothold in the frozen soil and had toppled over against a white oak. Since the tree was threatening to push the other oak over into the fence, I decided to cut the red oak down to save the white oak and the fence. When trying to remove a leaning tree, you have to start at the base and work your … not a serious threat to people and will only give you a pinch if you handle them roughly. It is not uncommon to find the large brown stag beetles around buildings near woodlands at night, …
Type: Blog
… terrarium project can have a calming influence on a potentially hectic holiday, because green and growing plants make us feel more relaxed. It requires you to find some live moss, but it makes an extra special decoration for kids—and adults—who love plants. The finished moss terrarium ornament A fillable plastic globe … moss, ribbon, and little wooden reindeer are what we used to create our ornaments. (Charcoal is not shown.) Use whatever decorative ribbon you like, but make sure it’s narrow enough to fit …
Type: Blog
… the Chicago Botanic Garden in 2017, brings together citizens, research scientists, educators, and horticulturists to study "phenology," or the life-cycle events of plants. Wildflower … phenology events , for example, are fairly simple: first flower, full flower, first fruit, and full fruiting. Deciduous trees , on the other hand, are more complex, with stages from first … pollinators react to cultivated varieties of native plants. Budburst's Fall into Phenology is not limited to just leaf color and seed; it is about observing plants in the fall. This will …
Type: Blog
… not to love about a Shrek-like sprout head? This DIY project connects young kids to plants and the magic of sprouting seeds. In camps and youth classes at the Chicago Botanic Garden, we encourage little ones to get their hands … marker A plate or tray Rubber bands, pipe cleaners, or other items (optional) *Vermiculite is a soil amendment that can be purchased at a garden supply store. It expands when soaked in …
Type: Blog
… ‘Enchantment’, which looks like a mini-snapdragon. Whatever it takes to get you to stop and feel spring in the Buehler Enabling Garden. People sometimes walk right by the brick pillars of the Enabling Garden, thinking it’s not for them, said Alicia Green, who maintains and designs the horticulture therapy garden. She likes to surprise them. “The Buehler Enabling Garden in spring is all about happiness!” she said. “I plant flowers that are colorful and scented, even a bit …
Type: Blog
… One of our favorite insects at the Chicago Botanic Garden is the praying mantis. So we were very excited to obtain an egg case earlier this spring. We decided to keep it indoors so we could watch it hatch, and then release the newly hatched insects into the Garden. A praying mantis egg case is called … mantis last fall. She laid her eggs in this foam of protein that hardened around a stick and protected the eggs through the winter. The eggs usually hatch in mid-June to early July. The …
Type: Blog
… Five years ago this past May, I found myself starting a new job and a new research project. My job, of course, was as a conservation scientist here at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the research project had me sitting on the side of a road at dusk in Pueblo West, Colorado. I … seemingly, the less one knows; old questions are answered and new ones are developed. This is what pushes scientists, and science, forward. The evolution of a research idea In 2008, I …
Type: Blog
… Chicago Botanic Garden get creative this time of year, sharing harvests of fruit, nuts, herbs, and more in creative—and delicious—style. We asked our staff to share their handmade gift ideas, and their responses … With care, amaryllis will repeat the show next year. This long-lasting pink and coral beauty is Hippeastrum ‘Amalfi’. Amaryllis ( Hippeastrum ‘Amalfi’) make great “repeat” gifts. A Tiny …
Type: Blog
… Sure, they are fun pets and a good educational tool for your kids, as well as a great source of fresh eggs. But what do … this benefit of keeping chickens: Earth First Farms, run by Tom and Denise Rosenfeld, is a local organic orchard that uses chickens as natural “insecticide.” Biddie Biorecycling Many … amount of organic waste. A mother hen teaches her chicks to forage. By fir0002 | flagstaffotos.com.au [ GFDL 1.2 ], via Wikimedia Commons An adult chicken eats around 9 pounds of food per …
Type: Blog
… Commons Those feelings returned after I saw Beatrix Potter: Beloved Children’s Author and Naturalist , on display through February 7 at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Lenhardt Library. The exhibition gives wonderful insight into Potter’s early life and career, along with her love of nature and preservation. Here are ten things from the … Society—which had a few assumptions about women and their research. Beatrix’s full name is Helen Beatrix Potter . She shares her first name with her mother, Helen Leech Potter, who was …
Type: Blog
