Boyce Tankersley, Director of Plant Documentation, tells us about some of the flowers we saw blooming on the first meteorological day of summer at the Chicago Botanic Garden. We saw echium in the Heritage Garden, a very rare jade vine in the Tropical Greenhouse, allium in the West Flower Walk and poppies in the English Oak Meadow. Come see us soon or visit http://www.chicagobotanic.org/inbloom for updates on what’s in bloom.
Category: Nature in View
Baby Birds and Bulbs on the Green Roof Garden
Emily Shelton shows us what’s blooming on the Green Roof Garden this spring. She also talks about the ground nesting kildeer and babies that were just born. Emily will give tours and answer your questions about the Green Roof Garden at World Environment Day on June 4, 2011. Ask a Horticulturist, Green Roof Garden is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. Visit http://www.chicagobotanic.org/wed2011/greenroofgarden.php for more information.
Spring Woodland Wildflower Walk
What’s a spring ephemeral? Ecologist Jim Steffen tells us about a few of the spring blooming wildflowers you can see blooming in McDonald Woods right now. As Jim says, there is always something in bloom in the woods, but spring is one of the showiest in this area, so don’t miss it! Visit http://www.chicagobotanic.org/walk/mcdonald_woods.php for more information on the woods.
Spring’s Earliest Blooming Flowers
Boyce Tankersley, Director of Plant Documentation, took us on a tour of the earliest blooming plants in the display gardens. We began in the Sensory Garden, where huge patches of Iris histrioides ‘George’ were blooming better than ever. Then we went to the Lakeside Gardens to see large patches of giant snowdrops blooming under deciduous trees. The witch hazel outside the English Walled Garden is very fragrant and quite showy right now. We also like the Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Plenum’ snowdrops in the English Walled Garden, because their petals look like a miniature rose and they are very fragrant. The Waterfall Garden has a nice display of snowdrops that is worth the climb to the top. The crocuses in the lawn near the Bulb Garden were also very showy. You’ll also find crocus in the lawn on Evening Island.
These are just some blooming highlights, visit www.chicagobotanic.org/inbloom for information on what’s in bloom now.
Escape to The Greenhouses this winter
Here at the Chicago Botanic Garden, we’re trying to make winter a little brighter and a little warmer. In The Greenhouses of the Regenstein Center, visitors can escape to a desert oasis and see aloes in bloom. They can feel the humidity of the tropics in the tropical greenhouse. They can even smell the fragrances of the temperate regions and see some interesting carnivorous plants! Sharon Nejman, Senior Horticulturist, takes us on a tour to show us what’s in bloom in each of the different climates we have recreated. Visit chicagobotanic.org/inbloom for more information on what’s in bloom at the Chicago Botanic Garden.