Archives For Karen Z.

True or false: There’s a spider 3 feet away from you right now.

A "save-the-date-for-World Environment Day" quiz

Karen Z. —  May 5, 2013 — Leave a comment
PHOTO: a female cross orbweaver spider, dorsal view

The (female) cross orbweaver spider, named for the cross on the top of her abdomen.

First things first: Mark your electronic calendar for June 1! That way you won’t miss out on the Garden-wide celebration of World Environment Day.

It’s a day to meet our scientists and horticulturists, to see the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center in action, and to check out senior ecologist Jim Steffen’s very cool display table on native spiders, which promises to be a kid magnet (live specimens, a big model spider, lots of good spider stories). 

After you’ve saved the date, work this quiz with every kid you know:

1. Spiders can fly. TRUE. Some spiders travel through the air by “ballooning”—sending out a thread of silk with a clump like a parachute at the end that carries them up into the air, where they swing along like Spiderman! Spiders have been found as high as 10,000 feet in the air and 200 miles out to sea.
2. Spiders can fish. TRUE. There’s a group called fishing spiders that can capture everything from tiny water insects to fish as big as a minnow!
3. Spiders can eat their own webs. TRUE. Webs get damaged all the time, so web-weaving spiders recycle their own silk by simply re-ingesting it. (It’s full of valuable nutrients.) Then they rebuild their web—sometimes every day!
4. Spiders have two eyes. FALSE. Almost all spiders have EIGHT eyes, the better to watch their prey while holding completely still. Some spiders have two bigger eyes, like binoculars, up front so they can focus on moving prey.
5. Spiders have stingers, like Shelob in The Lord of the Rings. FALSE. Spiders inject their prey with venom through fangs at the end of their jaws, which are called chelicerae. They don’t have stingers.
6. Spiders mummy-wrap their prey, like Shelob did in The Lord of the Rings. TRUE. That’s how they keep it from escaping.
PHOTO: a female cross orbweaver spider, ventral view

A female cross orbweaver spider (Araneus diadematus) wraps a bee snack for later.
7. Daddy Long Legs are spiders. FALSE. A Daddy Long Legs isn’t a spider; although it is in the Arachnid family, it’s in a separate order from spiders. All spiders have two body segments—a thorax and an abdomen—but a Daddy Long Legs only has one round body part (and just two eyes, see #4).
8. Spider silk is always sticky. FALSE. Spiders can control the feel of the silk they produce—some is sticky, some is non-stick, some is thick and heavy, some is airy and light.
9. Scientists have identified all of the spider species. FALSE. There aren’t enough spider scientists! New spiders are being discovered all the time—in fact, our ecologist, Jim Steffen, found a sheet web-weaver last year that might be a new species! Ask him about it on World Environment Day.
10. There’s a spider 3 feet away from you right now. TRUE. But you’ll have to come to the Plant Science Center on World Environment Day to get the full story! See you June 1!

 

 

In Ecology & Wildlife, Youth Education , , , , ,
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Journey to Kokufu

The Garden's Curator of Bonsai and Newest Bonsai Book Travel to Japan

Karen Z. —  April 4, 2013 — Leave a comment
KANJI TEXT: To Garden is to Learn.

Niwa ni manabu kotodesu.
To garden is to learn.

PHOTO: Overhead shot of viewing room.

The main gallery at Kokufu.

That’s why Ivan Watters, the Chicago Botanic Garden’s curator of bonsai, travels to Japan every year to attend Kokufu — the Japan National Bonsai Exhibition and most important bonsai show in the world.

“It’s a true learning experience,” he says. “You pick up technical ideas, artistic ideas, and learn a few bonsai tricks.” For example? “The first branch of an informal upright bonsai should come out of the midline across the front of the trunk. But the unconventional branch on one entry started at the back of the trunk and wrapped around to the side, with a secondary branch positioned to hide the manipulation.” It’s a vivid description, sure to be shared with his bonsai volunteers.

PHOTO: Ivan Watters

Bonsai curator Ivan Watters arranges a speciment at a photo shoot for Bonsai: A Patient Art.

Watters is a long-time member of the Nippon Bonsai Association, the venerable group that sponsors the exhibit. Held this year (for the 87th time) at the recently renovated Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Kokufu brought together 204 of the most outstanding trees in the country, culled from 500 entries. As always, requirements for entry are firm. Trees must reside in Japan (quarantine issues prohibit the Garden from competing) and, if selected, entrants must wait three years to compete again in the show.

This year marked Watters’ 20th year attending the show. What caught his eye this year? One large bonsai that combined nine separate Japanese white pines, each more than 100 years old. “It was the majesty of it,” he remarks, “so beautifully placed in their container.” Also large in scale were several bonsai from the Imperial Palace Collection, holding pride of place at the entrance to the show. Displayed on burgundy velvet cloths, the imperial bonsai befit the proportions of the Imperial Palace — many imperial trees are more than 500 years old and have been in the collection for more than 300 years.

Watters took a side trip to the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in Saitama, and to a small exhibit (just eight trees) at a temple celebrating ume season, the flowering of Japan’s plum or apricot trees.

PHOTO: Susumu Nakamura trains a bonsai.

Bonsai master Susumu Nakamura tends a white pine that he donated to the Garden.

The trip wasn’t all business. Watters also hosted an 81st birthday party for bonsai master Susumu Nakamura at the latter’s favorite eel restaurant, Izuei. Nakamura, the former vice chairman of Kokufu, donated 19 of his trees to the Garden’s collection in 2000. (Only one other donated tree has come to America, at the United States Botanic Garden.) On this latest trip to Japan, Watters gifted Nakamura with a copy of the Garden’s newest publication, Bonsai: A Patient Art. The beautifully photographed book illuminates the intricacies of bonsai in both art and history. Most of the trees that came from Nakamura are included in its pages, including an extremely fine example of a formal upright bonsai, the white pine shown here, which has been trained for at least 100 years.  

This spring, Watters and his volunteers are busy repotting more than 100 bonsai trees in preparation for the reopening of the bonsai courtyards on April 29. Watters is also teaching bonsai workshops. Bonsai Basics on June 1 is a good first class to begin your learning.

PHOTO: Bonsai Book

Curious about the Japanese trees at the heart of the Garden’s bonsai collection? Bonsai: A Patient Art is available to purchase. This stunning volume presents more than sixty living masterpieces from the Garden’s collection. Board member and bonsai enthusiast Robert H. Malott supported publication of this beautiful book.

In Horticulture & Display Gardens , , , ,
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Leave No Plant Inside

Karen Z. —  April 1, 2013 — Leave a comment

Remember when plant-care experts suggested that talking to your plants could make them healthier? New studies indicate that WALKING plants will keep your plants extra healthy, extra happy, and extra green. Perhaps you thought that dog-walking was just for dogs?

At the Chicago Botanic Garden we’ve been walking our plants for years—it’s one of the little-known reasons for our lush foliage and gorgeous flowers. Crews are out at the break of dawn around the Garden walking plants before the crowds arrive.

“All it takes is a wheelbarrow and a little patience,” says horticulturist Heather Sherwood. “I’ve never had a plant refuse a morning walk—but make sure temperatures are above freezing, and even warmer for tropical plants, before you take them out.”

PHOTO: Garden staff are moving a large wagon loaded with potted mums to be transplanted in the Circle garden.

Garden horticulturists know that walking the mums to the garden bed improves their blossoms.

Despite the groundhog’s forecast on February 2, spring’s arriving late this year, and temperatures have remained too cold to walk all but the hardiest native plants. Consider taking advantage of this week’s warmer air to get housebound plants moving now.

“It’s important for plants to get out and moving early in the season,” says plant scientist Dr. Pat Herendeen. “Movement and exercise open the stomata (tiny holes in the leaves that allow gas exchange), letting fresh air into the leaves. It gets the plant breathing and the sugars flowing, which improves their overall condition and promotes healthy flowering.”

PHOTO: Dr. Fant carries a fern and a pothos plants out of the Plant Conservation Science Center.

Dr. Jeremy Fant was among the first to take his plants for a stroll when the weather warmed up last week.

Health experts agree that a walk is good for you and your plants alike. For houseplant owners, there are plenty of plant-walking strategies. My neighbor combines the daily duties of dog walking with plant walking in a novel way. He saddles up his dog and attaches his smaller plants to the dog’s back. The two of them draw a lot of attention from other neighbors, and it’s easy to see why!

PHOTO: Dog is wearing a special coat that holds small house plants so he can take them for a walk

Enzo the dog doesn’t mind taking plants along on his regular walks.

If you don’t have a dog, you can carry your plants in a backpack, roll them in a wagon, or even pull them on a skateboard. Just getting them moving is the key. I don’t recommend recruiting your cat, however.

Remember for lush green happy plant results—keep those plants moving!

This was posted on April 1, 2013. April Fools!

In Youth Education ,
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Beets = Purple

A dozen all-natural Easter egg dyes

Karen Z. —  March 18, 2013 — 1 Comment

Go greener at the holidays this year! With Easter just a couple of weekends away, forgo the food coloring and kits, and go for naturally safe, naturally kid-friendly, and naturally beautiful “homemade” egg dyes instead. Dyes can be used on hardboiled or fancy blown out eggs. Most of what you need is probably already in your own kitchen and pantry.

PHOTO: The vegetables we use, and their accomanying egg colors.

What colors will you get? Beets = purple, yellow onions = yellow, red cabbage = pale blue.

PHOTO: the tools you'll need to create your own egg dyes

The tools you’ll need to create your own egg dyes.

Step 1: Gather your supplies.

Stainless steel utensils and glass containers won’t stain; always rinse utensils as you go from color to color, so there’s no contamination.

  • Pint and half-pint Ball jars or heat-safe glass bowls (the better to watch stuff happen!)
  • Non-reactive stainless steel or enamel saucepans
  • Strainer
  • Tongs

Step 2: Gather your ingredients.

Vegetables, fruits, and spices can all create lovely, earthy colors. Vegetables, fruits, and spices can all create lovely, earthy colors. We hardboiled large white eggs and used plain white vinegar, which helps to set the color. Here are the dozen dyes and “recipes” we tried, in order of color intensity (after about 20 minutes of steeping):

Chopped and simmered fresh carrot tops create a pale yellow dye.

Chopped and simmered fresh carrot tops create a pale yellow dye.


We used a straightened paperclip to poke holes in an egg for blowing.

We used a straightened paperclip to poke holes in an egg for blowing.


Rinse blown-out eggs thoroughly inside and out.

Rinse blown-out eggs thoroughly inside and out.

  • Beets = Purple. 1 large beet (cut into chunks) + 4 cups boiling water + 2 Tbs. vinegar. Cool and strain.
  • Yellow onions = Yellow-orange. Skins only of 6 medium yellow onions + 2 cups water; simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 2 tsp. vinegar.
  • Grape juice = Magenta. 1 cup all-natural grape juice + 1 Tb. Vinegar.
  • Coffee = Gold. ½ cup ground coffee + 2 cups boiling water. Steep, strain and add 1 Tb. vinegar.
  • Red onions = Blue. Skins only of 6 red onions + 2 cups water; simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 3 tsp. vinegar.
  • Green tea = Light green. 6 green tea bags + 1 cup boiling water. Steep 5 minutes and strain.
  • Red cabbage = Pale blue. ½ head red cabbage (cut into chunks) + 4 cups boiling water + 2 Tbs. vinegar. Cool and strain.
  • Turmeric = Yellow. 2 Tbs. turmeric + 1 cup boiling water + 2 tsp. vinegar.
  • Paprika = Orange. 2 Tbs. paprika + 1 cup boiling water + 2 tsp. vinegar.
  • Blueberries = Blue/Gray. 1 cup frozen blueberries + 1 cup water. Let stand ‘til room temperature and strain.
  • Carrot tops = Pale yellow. 2 cups chopped carrot greens + 1½ cups water; simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 2 tsp. vinegar.
  • Orange peels = Palest yellow. Peels of 6 oranges + 1 ½ cups water; simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and add 2 tsp. vinegar.

Step 3: Gather your family.

Kids love to color eggs. Guided by the recipes above, experiment with veggie/spice quantities and steep times. The longer you steep, the deeper the color—steeping eggs can even be left overnight in the refrigerator. Hardboil eggs or blow them out:

Beets, green tea bags, and orange peels all make gorgeous natural dyes.

Beets, green tea bags, and orange peels all make gorgeous natural dyes.

  • Use a heavy needle or bent paperclip to poke holes in each end of a fresh egg.
  • Wiggle the needle around inside to pierce the yoke.
  • Blow strongly through one hole, collecting the contents from the other in a small bowl.
  • Rinse eggs thoroughly inside and out.
  • Don’t waste your egg contents—scramble them or use in baking.

Kids with the urge to decorate can:

  • Wrap rubber bands around eggs before dyeing for striped designs.
  • Wrap onion skins around eggs and secure with rubber bands for marbled looks after coloring.
  • Write names, etc. in wax crayon on eggs before dyeing: magic!

Step 4: Embrace the imperfect!

Naturally dyed eggs sometimes splotch or dye unevenly—we had great success with beets and green tea, but our paprika-dyed egg looked marbled and our orange peel dye gave up just a tinge of color. Nonetheless, all look beautiful in an Easter basket!

The finished product: gorgeous colors, all "homemade."

The finished product: gorgeous colors, all “homemade.”

We loved the look of natural-colored, shredded kraft paper with white baskets. Tell us below: How did you display your naturally dyed eggs? 

Enjoy brunch and an Easter egg hunt at the Garden and spend the rest of the day viewing all that spring has to offer.

In Holiday Decor , , , , ,
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Miniature maintenance!

Karen Z. —  March 17, 2013 — Leave a comment

With just two months to go until the Model Railroad Garden opens, one dedicated group of volunteers undertook a big job this week: cleaning and retouching the 500+ miniature figurines that accessorize the garden’s landmark buildings.

Led by Becky Maganuco, volunteers got out the toothbrushes and toothpicks, the glue and the triple-zero paintbrushes, and set to work.

PHOTO: Volunteer Becky Maganuco with a box of miniatures.

Becky gets the boxes of miniatures out from winter hibernation. It’s good to see familiar faces!

An ark's worth of animals prop the Railroad Garden's landmarks.

An ark’s worth of animals prop the Model Railroad Garden’s landmarks.

Over the course of several days, they washed (the cars, trucks, and tractors were especially dirt encrusted), touched up paint (eyes and eyebrows are the trickiest), and glued back the tiny hands and feet that are inevitably broken (weather, errant human footsteps) during five months spent outdoors in the Model Railroad Garden.

PHOTO: George and Judy Knuth sorting a pile of miniatures.

Railroad Garden volunteers George and Judy Knuth sorted, organized, and repaired figurines.

PHOTO: Volunteer painting a horse miniature.

An appaloosa horse gets fresh tiny, tiny spots in volunteer Gerry Lewis’ expert care.

I always look forward to the May days that Becky and fellow miniaturists, many of whom are members of Northbrook’s North Shore Miniature Society, accessorize the garden. It takes them a couple of days to layer in all the right details: the barber pole on Main Street…the sunbathers and sailboaters on Cape Cod…the lone wolf and the bears in Yellowstone National Park…even Bo the dog at the White House.

Their work makes the buildings come to life, and never fails to delight—key factors in a garden that’s especially for children, for whom the magic and humor of the small will always trump the realities of life-sized.

PHOTO: Rows of miniature citizens.

Freshly painted figurines—some for circus, some for city—drying in an organized fashion.

There’s a practical side to their miniature work as well: “Visitors take close-up pictures and use telephoto lenses a lot in this garden, so it’s nice to make the details look a little more real,” says Becky.

What’s new for 2013? Volunteers are mulling how to accessorize the most recently added landmark, the Lincoln Memorial.

In Behind the Scenes , , ,
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