… Husk Doll People in cultures all over the world have been making dolls from natural materials for centuries. These directions are a simple variation of a doll made from corn husks, which is … cover and protect the corn cob. You can use the fresh green husks removed from the cob, but for this doll, we will use dried husks, which can be purchased from any grocery store that sells … will be. You can play with the fold to adjust the length to suit your preference. You will get the hang of this as you make more dolls. The folded top will be the doll’s head. To make it …
Type: Blog
… we can also experience negative engineering effects of plants on their environments when we visit natural areas throughout the Chicago region and beyond that have been heavily invaded by … common or European buckthorn ( Rhamnus cathartica ). Buckthorn was brought to the Midwest for ornamental use—it’s great at making hedges—but escaped from human control and is now one of … there there.” We think that taking out buckthorn may have freed native trees that can really get big, like white and red oaks, to better reach their growth potential. In addition to the …
Type: Blog
… pioneer cemeteries, in random spots along railroad tracks, and in botanical gardens. You can get a little taste of tallgrass wildness at the Garden’s Dixon Prairie —a 15-acre re-creation of … says Joan O’Shaughnessy, the Garden’s prairie and river senior ecologist. It’s challenging for her to suggest the “best” time to visit the prairie because it’s constantly changing—every week, every month, there’s something …
Type: Blog
… the leaves of tall switchgrass or the sharp “chip” calls of migrating birds as they search for seeds on coneflowers and coreopsis. The Dixon Prairie is a wonderful 15-acre re-creation of … rolling landscape. Many of the tall, late-blooming perennials are an important nectar source for our native pollinators. Here are just a few prairie plants that would make delightful … crescent butterflies and cuckoo bees are just a few of the many nectar-seeking insects that visit the blossoms. When crushed, the leaves emit a minty fragrance, which makes the plants …
Type: Plant Info
… them recently, but I’d admit to 50-plus plants. I simply find orchids to be fascinating for their seemingly infinite variations of flower sizes, shapes, colors, fragrance (very … from spores, with a smaller collection of orchids. She would send me home with plants on every visit, all of which I eventually lost, as I didn’t really have a clue as to how to grow them! But … quite a few orchid shows and meetings, gave lectures on orchids, and had the chance to visit some of the venerable orchid businesses like Stewart Orchids in California, Fennell’s …
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 … to natural-looking bonsai, North American species, and American potters. This led Baker to visit other bonsai curators, professionals, and ceramicists around the country to study this …
Type: Staff bio
… here courtesy of Ayse’s mother, Figen Ormancioglu, who kindly brought it with her on a recent visit. (The family surname translates as “son of the forester”—Ayse’s love of botany is in her … “Chai,” “junipers,” and “I’ll have another glass,” were three answers; the flavor is hard for American taste buds to define. Sweet and savory and spicy all at once, there’s a note of bark …
Type: Blog
… and many more. Information on a selection of these plants can be found below. View Gardening for Butterflies or Butterfly Garden Resources for information on creating your own midwestern butterfly garden. Aloysia virgata Sweet almond … (the length of stem between the buds) resulting in a large shrub (versus a medium-sized tree for the straight species). Compare and contrast the very succulent-appearing Jatropha podagricea …
Type: Page
… because they are so easy to grow and so adaptable to many situations, they tend to be taken for granted, even considered a little... boring. However, they are anything but, especially the … While many hostas have attractive flowers, it is their foliage that makes them indispensable for adding shape and substance to a shady garden. Native to Japan and China, the original species … tract and speeds up the drowning process. If slugs are in your garden, be prepared for them to visit daylilies in the early, cooler days of summer, before temperatures and midday sun send them …
Type: Plant Info
Q. How do I determine the pH of my garden soil and why is it important? A. The pH of garden soil can be easily determined by using an inexpensive kit that can be purchased at hardware stores and large garden centers. Proper soil pH is particularly important to plants such as birch trees and hydrangea shrubs. Often, plants exhibit nutritional deficiencies that can be addressed by a pH adjustment. …
Type: Plant Info
