Carolyn and I joined the The Garden Conservancy on their Society of Fellows Garden-Study Tour of the North Shore and Chicago this past week. It was a three and half day itinerary that visited both private and public gardens. Our first stop was the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG). The CBG is situated on 385 acres including 9 islands and is considered one of the world’s great living museums and conservation science centers.
We were guided through several of the 26 gardens by one of the directors of the museum. The plants were all clearly labeled for those who might be interested in a plant or flower to add to their own garden.
The many specialty gardens include a waterfall garden, an English walled garden, a three-island Japanese garden, a dwarf Conifer garden, a Fruit and Vegetable garden, an Aquatic garden, Dixon Prairie garden and a renowned Bonsai Collection.
My favorite part of the tour was visiting the Lenhardt Library containing over 110,000 volumes, including one of the nation’s best collections of rare botanical books. The books are stored in special cases for preservation, but we were able to thumb through many, some of which were printed in the 1500’s.
The CBG also has a seed library where visitors can “borrow” seeds to plant in their own garden. At harvest time, it is requested that some of the seeds are saved and returned to the library. The seed library primarily includes heirloom varieties that have been in cultivation for more than 50 years and are open-pollinated, by wind or bees, so the next generation seed retains the identical characteristics of the parent.
The CBG is a great defender and champion of the plant kingdom. The scientists conduct education, leadership and research activities to secure a healthy future for plants and the planet.
It was a great way to kick off a beautiful and interesting tour. I highly recommend visiting the Chicago Botanic Garden if you get the opportunity.
