Field Trip: Chicago Botanic Gardens 4/28/10, Part 1

Today, I visited one of my favorite places, the Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe, Ill. For now, I'd like to share a selection of the photographs I took in the Tropical, Semi-Tropical, and Arid Greenhouses. Part 2 will consist of pictures from the outdoor gardens.

First, the Tropical Greenhouse:

Entrance to Tropical Greenhouse with Aechmea 'Loie's Pride' lining the walkway and Begonia heracleifolia hanging in the distance. This picture, as with all that follow, shows more detail when clicked.

Closer view of Aechmea 'Loie's Pride'

Closer view of Begonia heracleifolia

Pachystachys lutea

Musa (banana) flower

Dracaeana deremensis 'Limelight'

The sign says Aglaonema 'Silver Queen' but there were no Aglaonemas of any sort anywhere near this planting. I'm hoping that the Garden staff knows the difference between Aglaonema and Stromanthe 'Burle Marx,' the patterned plant in the picture.

From the Semi-Tropical Greenhouse:

A large Abutilon cultivar

Justicia brandegeana 'Variegata.' This was absolutely gorgeous in person.

Thunbergia alata 'African Sunset'

Gardenia jasminoides. Exquisite fragrance. I never understood the fuss over these until I smelled one for myself. And apparently even with the optimum care the Botanic Garden has to offer, these primadonnas of the indoor plant world still suffer from a touch of chlorosis.

From the Arid Greenhouse:

Echinocactus grusonii with some Euphorbia milii and Aloe



Agave americana, with its flower stalk growing out of the roof of the greenhouse, as seen in the picture above this one

Adenium obesum

Aloe ammophila

Euphorbia 'Welcome Home'

Because I am a lover of tropical plants, particularly those that will grow well indoors, my favorite areas of any public garden are the greenhouses. I will probably post more pictures from the CBG greenhouses as the months progress.