… at you, polar vortex), I’m reminded of the grandeur of the outdoors, that nature still grounds and uplifts us. In fact, short, regular “awe walks”—in any season—improve brain health and emotional well-being, according to a new study by the University of California San Francisco … to give way to positive emotions such as compassion and gratitude, the study finds. Winter is the time to cultivate awe. It’s a season in which hidden beauty is revealed—as long as you …
Type: Blog
… five midwestern horticulturists hike through the oak-hickory forests of the Missouri Ozarks? And why did we need a desiderata? The first question is easy—we were on the trail of specific wildflowers and woody plants to preserve and add to our collections. Collections trip horticulturists Michael …
Type: Blog
… the four weeks he was on display in our Semitropical Greenhouse. Spike brought the nation’s—and even the world’s—attention to the Garden, as we waited for our first-ever flowering titan to open up in all its stinky and colorful glory. The event—and I am proud to call this an event—brought more than 76,000 … 24/7, day and night…and I became “Titan Tim,” for sure. The power of one plant… Wow! “When is he going to bloom?” That was the number one question on everyone’s mind, both at the Garden …
Type: Blog
… David Cantwell is the assistant horticulturist for the Garden Wall and Berm—the exterior plantings at the … Dundee Road, consisting of more than eight acres of planting beds, more than 100 plant taxa, and thousands of shrubs, trees, grasses, bulbs, and perennials. Cantwell has been with the Garden …
Type: Staff bio
… boy grew up, he became the chief engineer of train exhibitions at the Chicago Botanic Garden—and he still plays with trains. “I hardly get to play with my railroad at home because I get to … honor of the 125 th anniversary of the Chicago Horticultural Society (the Society founded and manages the Chicago Botanic Garden). Models of historic steam engines will chug along 1,600 … Q. What keeps you motivated after all these years? A. My passion for the railroad is what drives me—I absolutely love this railroad. The same passion goes for everyone. We have 18 …
Type: Blog
… about haiku in grade school with the familiar pattern of three phrases written in five, seven, and five syllables. As I developed this year’s Words in Bloom: A Year of Haiku program, I learned that the world of haiku is an expansive one with many forms. Designed to be “one breath” poems with a focus on nature, … for National Poetry Month. Get lost in these beautiful haiku poems paying tribute to the Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden for spring and early summer. English Walled Garden haiku …
Type: Blog
… class, as the chemical that makes leaves green. But ask why leaves turn color in the fall, and we get vague quickly. Colder temperatures? Shorter days? True, but there’s more to the story. … obovatus) turns a brilliant yellow late in the season— after it has gone through burgundy and bright red. A summer leaf, full of chlorophyll, looks green. But once chlorophyll production … or brown, the colors of carotenoid chemicals. Reds, crimsons, and purples happen when sugar is trapped in the leaves. As sugar decomposes, it creates chemicals called anthocyanins. …
Type: Blog
… Chris Baker has been studying and working on bonsai for more than 16 years. Like so many, he started out as an enthusiast with a true love of horticulture, nature, and natural trees. Baker was an active member of the Baltimore Bonsai Society when a chance … 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
… iBudding and flowering trees and shrubs—redbud, plum, spirea, almond—are among the great joys of spring. Under the calm and … 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
… can see of this process can be beautiful: leaves change from green to vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows. Then trees drop their leaves and wait out the winter. In a regular year, trees aren’t in a rush to go dormant. The process … 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
