Chicago Botanical Garden & Morton Arboretum Pics and Stories

Hi All,

Just thought I'd start a new thread for all the pics and stories we all have from the weekend.

I guess I'll start this out with a good one. I was going to take this pic and right as I was pushing my finger down, Eq decides to bend over and get a close up of a flower,,,too late to not take the pic,,,my finger had already moved,,,,That's pretty much what we saw of her most of the day,,,roflol Oh, no, now that's not true,,,we did see her on her belly taking pics also,,,and weeding the Garlic Mustard for the Botanical Gardens that was starting to bloom,,,



Edited,,,,,, to let everyone know I didn't intend on posting that pic first. I realised it would be a thumbnail on the Forum and didn't want it to be,,,so I was going to redo my post, but mistakenly clicked when my cursor was over the send button instead of getting back into my post. I was just sick when I realised what happened. So sorry Eq. Maybe Admin. can delete it?



This message was edited May 23, 2006 2:18 PM

Weeding Garlic Mustard

Some Really interesting plants that are Annuals. They were in the Greenhouse for 2 years. Very cool looking. Can't remember the name but Pixie knows what they are.

A Very Cool water fall. Looked like a piece of plastic fluttering in the breeze. We had to stick our hands in to make sure,,,LOL

Getting late and I'm bushed from all the fresh air and walking we did this weekend,,I'll post more pics tomorrow.

Kelly

Ooooh! I remember that waterfall! Here's my pic of it from two years ago...

ROFLMAO! Poor Lauren - you do look pretty fit and trim, though.

Lauren,

Nice tush. ROFL.

Hope someone took a few group pics?

:-0

Why thank you PGZ5, I'm sort of attached to my rear also. It serves me well! What was that phrase Rodney Dangerfield coined? "I get no respect". Try to do a good thing by photographing plants for the PlantFiles and pulling weeds for ChiBo and my rear becomes a celebrity. I got my photos though! 400 to load to the PlantFiles for all of us to enjoy. Woowhooooooooooooo!

No, no group photos that can be shared but there is one photo of an area that we took that is "FREE" for a possible area to consider for an '07 Upper Midwest RU.

You got 400 pics for PlantFiles????? Holy Hannah,,,,You're good,,,, I think I only got 235 pics total,,,but planned on adding some,,,I'll wait to see what you add.

Sum total of both Chicago Botanic and Morton Arboretum. I like plants and I like to have photos as a resource for myself as well as to be able to enlarge on my own computer to get in and get close looks. Loading them is the issue. Seems as if we are sometimes real slow and then other times they load like lightening. I'll get around to it. I can't wait to see what you're going to add. Everyone has different tastes in plants and that's way cool because we get a good chance to sample all there was to see and experience. Matter of fact, one of my butt shots was me bending over to get a bumble bee. I won't post that photo because it wasn't too good but it was fun for me watching him bumble around in constant motion.

What I should have done was take a photo of your "Mom's" plant. That was hysterical all factors considered. I had a good belly laugh over that plant holding such a prominent position at the house of your Mom given what an avid gardener you are. Truly gave me a good case of the giggles. Kelly, that takes the cake!

Eq,

Ah, yes,,,,,my Mom with her silk plant in the big planter,,,she is a hoot that's for sure. I gave her umpteen suggestions and she nixed everyone of them. Said she didn't want to take care of anything but herself,,,,,,Oh, she also told me to tell you it tipped back over after we left,,,that you didn't do a very good job gardening for her,,,, ROFLOL By the way,,,she thought you were just too funny, she liked you immediately

She wanted to find a couple plastic or silk Topiaries to put there, but hasn't found them yet. Told her I could get some Dwarf varieties that wouldn't need anything done,,,,,,,Nope, wouldn't bite,,,,,,so, yes, I hate to admit it, but my mom does have a silk plant in a planter in the front of her house.

Kelly hanging head in shame and sneaking out of the room

Yes, your Mom is a sweetie pie. And, she most definitely has her own very "unique" style of gardening that is all her own and not shared by many. Actually, I think she might just have exclusive rights to her distinctive style of gardening.

I don't recall what I said to her but I'm sure it was a doozie given I'd never seen a silk plant as a focal point of a yard. By the way, I did try to set it more upright. Guess I was "spotted" in the act. Did you get a photo of my rear putting Mom's plant in an upright position too? If you did, maybe there's a glimpse of "THE PLANT". You have to admit that is hysterical.

Wouldn't it be a hoot if I snuck over there and dug a hole and plant a realistic looking plant in her ground. I could just hear her now! I don't want anything to take care of and where did that green thing come from! Then she'd immediately blame you! Ha ha ha!

Please Sir, May I have some more (pictures) ?
Now that you mention it, I had to hand it to Lauren - weeding the ChiBo's garlic mustard out was a humanitarian act even Jimmy Carter couldn't top for the plant world. Right on Girl!

Here are some lovely troughs they had planted. There were a lot of them around the one area. I love all of the colors.

Here's a substantial sized leaf of what we think was a Sum and Substance hosta. Don't know for sure as they didn't have it marked.

Kelly, is that reddish-pinkish stuff in the troughs, diascia? I just love that.

Ummmm,,,,,,what did you call me???? LOL I have No idea,,here's a close up though,,,maybe you can tell from this pic. I loved it too. I think I'm going to use this as my wallpaper for awhile. Should drive Bill nuts,,,LOL

This message was edited May 23, 2006 2:55 PM

I had a great time and here are a few pic I took.

This was a great get together. I had to leave after lunch because my back was killing me - not because of the great people that went LOL. Truly, the best part of the day was meeting everyone. I have never met such an interesting and nice bunch. Thanks.

Jennifer

Hey Jennifer! You were totally missed when you left. Next time rest up that back so that you can hang with us longer! You were such a delight. Hmmmm, maybe we could get a wheelchair to wheel you around in so that you can stay longer next time. And then we could get one for me and one for who ever else has leg and back problems and we could have wheelchair races! When life give backs and legs that are lemons, make lemonade... and have fun in the process too!

I'm in for the wheelchairs,,,,in fact we were talking about if they had some of those motorized dealies that we could rent that day so we wouldn't all have to complaine about our aches and pains. Didn't see them though so I don't think they had any

Oh weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Playing chicken with motorized scooters! Yee ha! Glad you thought of it! That's even better than wheel chair races!

That would be a hoot,,,oh, my, there would be no stopping us then,,,,I'm sure by the end of the day we would be asked to leave.

Equilibrium:

Thank you. I felt kind of silly leaving because I enjoyed you all so much. You are such a super person, you made me feel like I wasn't a total geek and had interesting things to say. LOL. You are so welcoming and accepting, what a treat! Your unlimited energy is mind boggling. I need to get together with all of you again to stop the "I'm too old" phase creeping up on me. My grandmother gardened into her 90s and was a constant bundle of energy. I act like a walk further than my front rose bed is going to send me to a heating pad and bed rest for a week. LOL. Can't wait to meet up with you again, even if it's for wheelchair races.

Jennifer

Ohhhh... Wish I'd known about this. I love the Botanic Gardens. I used to live a couple miles from there. Now, I live a few miles from Morton Arboretum. (Much prefer the gardens).

Kathy

Kathy,

If you haven't seen the UMW Round Up thread yet, be sure to check out http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/605941/ for information on the upcoming "Round Up" in Janesville, Wisconsin. Things are still a little up in the air as to lunch plans - due to no shelters available at the park - but we are definitely gathering that day.

Jody

This message was edited May 23, 2006 7:21 PM

Hmmm, maybe we could bring generators to plug in heating pads. Now there's a thought! Better than using that Bengay crap. Man oh man that stuff stinks. On second thought... maybe the Bengay isn't such a bad idea after all. People would probably give us a wide gerth and we wouldn't have to worry about dealing with the masses. Hmmm, I see possibilities here.

Really sorry you didn't know about the Morton Arboretum the next day kd60504. We were there from basically sun up and we closed the place down. That place is awesome. I think all of us who went the next day liked it as well as the ChiBo. See, now you are going to have to visit these forums more often so that you don't miss anything. Whatchadoing the 10th of June kd60504? That get together is going to be a blast and you can take that to the bank. We will even have a... dare I say this... a MAN... to keep us in line. No party is complete without the big boy himself.

Equilibrium....you're not going to believe this.....we are going to have to party-harty when we get to Janesville. You are coming I hope. I just took a peek and found out that we share a birthday...on June 19th! What are the chances. If you tell me that you are also going to be 50....well that would be just too much. I am so sorry that I had to miss ChiBo. You can bet that I won't miss out on another gathering. I'll fit right in with my aches and pains. LOL

Marie

Eq,
Definite possibilities,,,I'm liking where this is going. Thought there was another man that was thinking about coming to the RU? Maybe it was my imagination,,,which is Very possible,,lol

Marie,
LOL figure the odds on that. Too funny.

Marie! We may share a birthday but you're far older and wiser than me! Nanner nanner nanner! You have me by a year babe.

Kelly, nope... no other men braving the estrogen. There were a few who were considering it but I think we done scared them all off. Who would of thunk a few harmless women would be able to scare of a few Y chromosomes. The Big Boy will have his own personal harem that day unless somebody is bringing their husband.

Holy Hannah,,,,,I didn't think it could be done that easily. Looks like Al is the only brave one. Good for him,,,he gets to meet, have great conversations with gorgeous women and plants to take home to boot. What more could anyone want??? lol

Was that a rhetorical question :) ?

Cookies! Thin Mints to be exact. That's what more one could want. I must! I must! I must increase my rear end! All the better to photograph.

Oh Jennifer is so right about Equilibrium's energy level! After three days of total sight seeing and garden-going, I was just pooped! I could barely participate in our final conversations. I didn't realize how tired I was until I sat in the car for the ride to the airport. When I get tired my mouth shuts down first to save energy. Then the brain goes. So she's chatting away about invasive plant species and I'm just barely nodding 'uh huh', 'right', etc. I was a CHARMING conversationalist at that point, I'm sure. Good thing I don't start out that way!
Those big pokey plants mistakenly referred to as 'annuals' (only in your zone, sweeties) are called Echiums. And I MUST have them!!! I have wanted them for two years and have yet to indulge. But I WILL be satisfied. (No jokes, please. LOL!)
Here is one of my photos of these beatiful plants from the Canary Islands. Get a load of those colors!:

Here's the group of them. I want the one with the grey-green leaves. These are grown as annuals at the ChiBo. They grew these for two years in the greenhouse before putting them out. They are actually perennials.

Here's a shot of one of the plazas at the garden. Very pretty. Wish more had been in bloom.

Equilibrium being daring to get the shot. This woman does not let little things like broken fingers stop her from getting the appropriate angle. I admire this trait in a person, even as I hold my hands out to break a possible fall.

I'm not generally a fan of having to prune something to keep it small enough for its space, but I really liked their use of this particular cultivar of Yew as a hedge and as an evergreen to add color. The new foliage is this pretty yellow-green and it really lights the place up.