… have noticed a group of hard-working high-schoolers wearing hard hats and toting shovels at the Chicago Botanic Garden this summer. The aspiring conservationists—part of the Conservation … environmental science experience. Students partnered with Garden horticulturists and learned to identify plants and remove invasive species. This year, they worked to clear and trim overgrown bushes, install new plantings, and remove invasive plants. In addition to their work at the Garden, Corps members worked at Harms Woods near Glenview and …
Type: Blog
… Allison Pillar is the grower for indoor floriculture in the Plant Production department. She produces high-quality plants for display in the … since worked as a seasonal and assistant grower within the department before being promoted to her current position in 2020. Her interest in nature and plants led her to graduate from …
Type: Staff bio
… Tim Pollak is the Manager, Plant Production at the Garden, where he has worked since 2001. As part of his job, … the high-impact horticulture displays and unusual plants and flowers that the Garden displays to create excitement for plants. He has a bachelor of science degree in landscape horticulture, with a concentration in nursery and greenhouse management, from …
Type: Staff bio
… When buckthorn moves in to the ecosystem, it dominates. Imagine a friend invites you to a dinner party, promising a … While it may be true that one person at the party really likes kale, it’s hardly fair for the preferences of that person to supersede everyone else’s needs. In the case of buckthorn, …
Type: Blog
… Terese Adamiec is the grower for outdoor floriculture in the Plant Production department. She focuses on growing and maintaining the annuals that are … orders hundreds of varieties of seeds for seasonal displays, and delivers the finished plants to horticulturists throughout the year. Adamiec has been with the Garden since 2011, when she was …
Type: Staff bio
… Take a peek in your closet, and you might find a long wooden broom for sweeping up dust or offering rides to witches and wizards. For broom maker John Spannagel of Hidalgo, Illinois, brooms are more than … grass used to make specialty brooms, a passion Spannagel discovered nearly three years ago. The retired construction worker makes roughly 50 brooms a year and tours at local farm shows. As …
Type: Blog
… It’s always a fun day with a community vibe, as Chicago area gardeners gather to swap seeds, stories, and green-thumb tips. Panache sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ‘Panache’) With that in mind, here are five simple secrets for seed-starting success 1. Quality seed starter. Give … never perform like those grown in a high-quality medium. Some adjectives that should describe the product you buy: sterile, fine-grained, free-draining, fluffy, uniform. One brand we’ve had …
Type: Blog
… I am a researcher in Dr. Andrea Kramer’s lab at the Chicago Botanic Garden. My work involves investigating … Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I also work to support data analysis and visualization for projects with collaborators at the Chicago Botanic …
Type: Staff bio
… Finally the world of fashion has stumbled on one of our great loves—fungi. Lately, Vogue magazine and … fashion and design. Since the global pandemic began, designers have been turning to the earthy aesthetics and healing powers of mushrooms and other kinds of fungi. In particular, the underground part of mushrooms known as mycelium has captured the imagination …
Type: Blog
… Think you can tell the difference between an orchid and a praying mantis? Or an orchid and a sugar flower? Here are … of the largest, most diverse, and most beloved of all plant families. An edible orchid in an ice sphere adorns a cocktail from chef Daniel Boulud, marthastewart.com Why, yes, that's an orchid in my cocktail Noted French chef Daniel Boulud paired with a mixologist to come up with a white cosmopolitan recipe that calls for elderflower liqueur and a frozen …
Type: Blog
