Last year we discovered Viburnum leaf beetle (VLB) here at the Chicago Botanic Garden for the very first time. As I said then, “I strongly suggest you begin monitoring your viburnums for this critter” as once they move in, they become a perennial pest, just like Japanese beetles. In early March, we monitored many of … Continue reading Viburnum Leaf Beetle Update – Winter Scouting
Are you feeling winter blue? Do you feel trapped in cold and ice? Has your mood gone south, leaving you wishing that you could, too? What, with the world’s best antidepressant right out your front door? The magic elixir is a winter walk. And the Chicago Botanic Garden awaits with a prescription-strength dose—miles of trails … Continue reading Reshape the way you think about winter
Escape to a warmer climate and enjoy a mini-vacation from Chicago winters in the Greenhouses at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Boyce Tankersley, director of living plant documentation, showed us some of the more unusual plants we will find flowering—or fruiting—in the Greenhouses in January. Click here to view the video on YouTube. Discover amazing aloes and euphorbias … Continue reading Escape the Wind Chill with Winter Blooms in the Greenhouses
The flowers are gone, the trees are bare, now what to photograph? Birds, of course! Winter is a great time to get some fabulous shots of winter birds. One huge bonus is that there are no leaves on the trees and the birds are much easier to see! There are the “regular” local birds, like … Continue reading Winter Birds Are Here!
Like so many things in tending bonsai, how you overwinter your trees is specific to the tree species and the region in which you live. Here in the Chicago area, we need to take special care to protect our trees from cold temperatures and windy conditions. Prior to bringing in your tropical trees and tucking your cold … Continue reading Overwintering Your Bonsai
