… the overall health of all of the turf areas with an integrated pest management program that is designed to reduce the use of pesticides. Fritz grew up in Kankakee, just south of Chicago. He received an associate's degree in agricultural business from Kankakee Community College and an associate's degree in turf management from Joliet Junior College. After graduation, he … the Chicago area. Before joining the Garden, he worked for the Des Plaines Park District and the village of Wheeling's Park District as its turf maintenance specialist. …
Type: Staff bio
… My research and training programs focus on the systematics, biogeography, ecology, and conservation of higher fungi, especially mushrooms and other macrofungi. My postdocs, … China, and past geological events like the Great American Interchange. Fungal conservation is currently a major focus of my efforts. This includes capacity building, raising awareness, …
Type: Staff bio
… Simone Gore is an assistant grower for outdoor floriculture in the Plant Production department. Her job … high-quality plants for the Garden's seasonal displays, working with many of the annuals and tender perennials that are used in the annual displays, and caring for most of the vegetables that are planted at the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable …
Type: Staff bio
… Good news! There are many fall-flavored plants that will provide you with texture, form, and long-lasting colors in both flowers and foliage. I love the combination of purple or blue asters (Symphyotrichum) with ornamental … the spring or summer. As the days begin to get shorter and the nights get cooler, plant growth is slowing down or ceasing. By planting a fuller container, you will see immediate results that …
Type: Blog
… It’s a big week for cooking, for getting out the china, crystal, and silver, and for setting a holiday-worthy table…but have you thought about a centerpiece yet? A cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is a classically beautiful, easy, and crowd-pleasing way to pull together a centerpiece without a …
Type: Blog
… into the fall. Gardening in containers can offer us year-round seasonal interest, and we can extend the garden seasons to create vibrant container gardens. I’m a huge fan of fall container gardens with a rich variety of color, texture, and hardiness that carry their beauty well beyond the first frost. A container garden that changes its appearance from one season to another is the definition of a seasonal “change-out” concept. Change-outs can be done by simply removing …
Type: Blog
… Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden. That leaves us with four empty walls. So we get creative and make an “alternative” living wall. These burlap pocket planters contain alyssum, lettuce seedings, grass, and coriander. Here's what we did one recent spring: Our carpenters covered foam boards with … and v oila! We had a vertical garden again. You can do this at home. Making planting pockets is simple and fun. 1. Plant seeds or transplant small plants and let them sprout. We …
Type: Blog
… In recent years, the plight of pollinators has gotten a lot of press, and rightly so. I spoke with the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune when they were … of “one size fits all” wildflower seed packets to combat the declining populations of bees and other pollinators. The decline of pollinator populations is well documented around the globe. Much attention has focused on honeybees, which are extremely …
Type: Blog
… In 2017, torrential rains fell over much of our region, particularly in Lake and McHenry counties, as well as southeastern Wisconsin. Here at the Chicago Botanic Garden, high water levels in the Skokie River forced us to close on July 13 and 14—the first time in the Garden’s history that we closed to visitors for two consecutive … affect our plants? Flooding at the visitor entrance’s main intersection The Garden is situated in the watershed of the Skokie River that extends north to Waukegan. A portion of the …
Type: Blog
… Winter is a great time to celebrate the beauty of the natural world and wildlife around you. After a big … snow, I encourage you to take a walk around your neighborhood—or at the Chicago Botanic Garden and other green space—to look for animal tracks, either with your children or for your own …
Type: Blog
