Fall into the Sterling Morton Library!

During the coming months, there are a number of noteworthy events at The Morton Arboretum including the following programs to be held in the Sterling Morton Library:

N732 - Green Fire : Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time
Thursday, September 22, 2011 – 6:30-9:00 p.m.
In his book, A Sand County Almanac, conservationist Aldo Leopold laid out the key insight that was the culmination of his life's work: a shared responsibility for the health of the land we inhabit. Explore Leopold's personal journey and the threads that connect to his legacy today through an intimate screening of the new documentary Green Fire.
Join us for a dessert reception preceding the film, and stay afterwards to discuss the film, Leopold, and his groundbreaking work with Leopold biographer Curt Meine, author Jim Ballowe, and more.

A411 - A Fascination with Flight
Saturday, September 24, 2011 – 1-4 p.m.
From the time we are quite young, the feathered creatures that perch high up in the trees and then take flight capture our imaginations. Meet artists such as Audubon, Fuertes, and Jaques, who took this fascination a step further and made their careers painting birds and helping us to see and understand them in a new way.

N 733 - A Trek Across the Chicago Wilderness
Thursday, November 3, 2011 - 7-8:30 pm.
In June 2009, Jack MacRae walked across Chicago Wilderness, from Chiwaukee Prairie in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, to Warren Woods in Berrien County, Michigan. Over 15 days he walked approximately 240 miles, visiting over 50 preserves, parks, and natural areas. Join Jack on his journey as he describes his walk and shares his experiences in prairies, sand dunes, forests, flatwoods, savannas, rivers, ponds, wetlands, ravines, and one great lake.

H734 - Jens Jensen, Frank Lloyd Wright, and My Small Garden
Thursday, December 1, 2011 – 7-8:30 p.m.
What can you do in a small garden? Join author Cathy Jean Maloney as she takes you on a virtual tour of her own historic cottage with a garden designed by renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen. Designed ca. 1907 for the gardener of a large estate, this Frank Lloyd Wright home was landscaped by Jensen. Discover the enduring influences of the Jensen/Wright collaboration and how Maloney and her family enjoy the naturalistic, small-space garden today.

Pre-registration is required for all of these events. Registration details can be viewed at http://www.mortonarb.org/education.html or by stopping at the Arboretum’s Visitor Center.

Hope to see you at one or more of these programs that will be presented within the Sterling Morton Library!

New Library Exhibit!

Jens Jensen: Landscapes for People

June 28, 2011 - September 1, 2012

Drawing on the strengths of the Jens Jensen collections in the Sterling Morton Library, this exhibit features landscape drawings, archival photographs, and modern color photographs to introduce visitors to Jensen’s philosophies as laid out in his 1939 book Siftings. The exhibit demonstrates how Jensen’s naturalistic, prairie-inspired style of landscape design has established him as a major figure in American landscape architecture and focuses on what Jensen always intended his landscapes to be for: people. His landscapes thus emerge not only as sites of aesthetic beauty but as expressions of Jensen’s theories of the social impact of landscape architecture.

This exhibit is presented in conjunction with Festival of the Architecture Book, 1511-2011.

Leafing Through the Pages - 2011

The nominations have been presented! The ballots have been cast! The votes are in! During 2011, participants in Leafing Through the Pages, the book/film discussion group of the Sterling Morton Library, will be viewing, reading and discussing the following works:

• January 13 – The Curious Mister Catesby – Viewing of the film will begin at 10 a.m. with the discussion to follow.
• February 10 – Egan, Timothy. The big burn : Teddy Roosevelt and the fire that saved America, 2010.
• March 10 – Muir, John. A thousand-mile walk to the Gulf, 1916.
• April 14 – Lisle, Laurie. Portrait of an artist: a biography of Georgia O'Keeffe, 1997.
• May 12 – Biggers, Jeff. Reckoning at Eagle Creek : the secret legacy of coal in the heartland, 2010.
• June 9 – Freinkel, Susan. American chestnut : the life, death, and rebirth of a perfect trees, 2007.
• July 14 – Carson, Rachel. Silent spring, 1962.
• August 11, 2011 – Wulf, Andrea. The brother gardeners : botany, empire and the birth of an obsession, 2009.
• September 8 – Lewis, Charles. Green nature/human nature : the meaning of plants in our lives, 1996.
• October 13 – Plotkin, Mark J. Tales of a shaman’s apprentice : an ethnobotanist searches for new medicines in the Amazon rain forest, 1993.
• November 10 – Stegner, Wallace. Beyond the hundredth meridian : John Wesley Powell and the second opening of the west, 1954.
• December 8 – Greenfield, Amy Butler. A perfect red : empire, espionage, and the quest for the color of desire, 2005.
  
  Meeting the second Thursday of each month from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. in the Sterling Morton Library of The Morton Arboretum
  
  Join us for a morning of spirited conversation, discussion and dialogue!

What do these three plays plus an exhibit in the Sterling Morton Library at The Morton Arboretum all have in common?

• Cats
• A Chorus Line
• Mousetrap
• Flora! Illuminated …

They’ve all had their runs extended! We’re delighted to announce that Flora! Illuminated … will be available for viewing during Library hours until January 2011. Please visit in-person or view selections from the exhibit at: http://florailluminated.wordpress.com.

Articles of note in the Sterling Morton Library : May/June’s offerings

These are some recent articles that can be found within the journal collection of the Sterling Morton Library. Please visit the Library to discover the incredible botanical and horticultural resources that await you! If you are unable to visit the Library and interested in reviewing one of these articles, I would be delighted to help you at rhassert@mortonarb.org.

• Brooks, Elizabeth W. and David N. Bonter. Long-term changes in avian community structure in a successional, forested, and managed plot in a reforesting landscape. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, v. 122, no. 2, p. 288-295.
• Colyvan, Mark and Lev R. Ginzburg. Analogical thinking in ecology: looking beyond disciplinary boundaries. The Quarterly Review of Biology, v. 85, no. p. 171-182.
• Cullina, William. Wildflowers as groundcovers. American Nurseryman, v. 210, no. 6, p. 38-44.
• DeVore, Sheryl. Virgin prairie : along Lake Michigan, Wisconsin’s prairie thrives. Wildflowers : the magazine of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, v. 26, no. 4, p. 8-9.
  Great article about the Chiwaukee Prairie!
• Gilman, Edward F., Chris Harchick and Maria Paz. Planting depth affects root form of three shade tree cultivars in containers. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, v. 36, no. 3, p. 132-139.
• Klein, Carol. Camassias : elegant and tall, these gorgeous plants look lovely in flower beds or growing among long grass. Gardens Illustrated, no. 161, p. 60-67.
  “Blue flowers hold a special place among gardeners. What is it about them that we love so much? Perhaps it is their affinity with the sky or sea?”
• The Nature Artists’ Quarterly - Illustrated and written by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum.
  Always a treat to read this publication and view the artists’ contributions to the Members’ Gallery!

Flora! Illuminated ...

The Sterling Morton Library's latest exhibit has opened - Flora! Illuminated ...
See spectacular plant images from the rare book and art collections in this special exhibit. Flora! Illuminated ... is a non-traditional alphabetical exploration of spectacular plant images from the Library's Suzette Morton Davidson Special Collections.
Snippets of song lyrics, poetry, and prose have been selected to accompany these brilliant images to create a memorable experience for visitors.
The exhibit highlights rarely seen artwork and rare books, revealing the extraordinary beauty and depth of the library's collections ... and of the plant world.

This exhibit can be viewed: Tuesday - Friday from 9-5 and Saturday from 10-4 through June 30, 2010.

Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor …

As I was entering the Arboretum’s grounds this Saturday morning, I was musing about that famous motto - Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor ... - and was delighted with all of the intrepid walkers, runners, hikers, and bikers visible near the Arboretum’s Visitor Center. There are so many different ways to visit and enjoy our winter landscapes. What a wonderful time of year to travel through the grounds and discover a host of interesting plants, views, birds and tracks. Before you head out for a visit to our winter landscapes, be sure to take one of these guides from the Sterling Morton Library to help you decipher the plants and mysterious tracks that you might see!

• Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroot’s book of animal tracking. New York : Bradbury Press, 1989. [J QL768.A75 1989]
• Brown, Lauren. Weeds in winter. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1976. [QK118.B7 1977]
• Halfpenny, James C. Winter : an ecological handbook. Boulder : Johnson Books, 1989. [QH81.H35]
• Heinrich, Bernd. Winter world : the ingenuity of animal survival. New York : Ecco, c2003.[QL753.H45]
• Levine, Carol. A guide to wildflowers in winter. New Haven : Yale University Press, 1995. [QK117.L48]
• Marchand, Peter J. Life in the cold : an introduction to winter ecology. 2nd ed. Hanover : University Press of New England, 1991. [QH543.2.M37 1991]
• Mason, George F. Animals tracks. New York : William Morrow, 1943. [SK282.M3]
• Murie, Olaus J. A field guide to animal tracks. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1963. [SK282.M8]
• Simeone, Vincent A. Wonders of the winter landscape : shrubs and trees to brighten the cold-weather garden. Batavia, Ill. : Ball Pub., c2005.[SB435.S48]
• Smith, Alice Upham. Trees in a winter landscape. New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969. [QK477.S64]
• Trelease, William. Winter botany : an identification guide to native trees and shrubs. 3rd ed. New York : Dover, 1967. [QK477.T84 1967]

The Sterling Morton Library is open Tuesday – Friday from 9 to 5 and Saturday from 10 to 4. Visit soon!

Articles of note in the Sterling Morton Library : November’s offerings

These are some recent articles that can be found within the journal collection of the Sterling Morton Library. Please visit the Library to discover the incredible botanical and horticultural resources that await you! If you are unable to visit the Library and interested in reviewing one of these articles, I would be delighted to help you at rhassert@mortonarb.org.

Abel, Andrea. Cloud city. Wildflower, v. 26, no. 2, p. 12-19.
“At northern Mexico’s El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, an unusual stretch of cloud forest is home to an abundance of plants and animals.”

Bourne, Joel K. Redwoods : the super trees. National Geographic, v. 216, no. 4, p. 28-63.

New plants for 2010. American Nurseryman, v. 209, no. 12, p. 12-47.

Price, Karen and Dave Daust. Making monitoring manageable : a framework to guide learning. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, v. 39, no. 10, p. 1881-1892.

Schnable, P.S., et al. The B73 maize genome : complexity, diversity, and dynamics. Science, v. 326, no. 5956, p. 1112-115.
“The sequence of the maize genome reveals it to be the most complex genome known to date.”

Olechnowski, Brian F.M., Diane M. Debinski, Pauline Drobney, Karen Viste-Sparkman and William T. Reed. Changes in vegetation structure through time in a restored tallgrass prairie ecosystem and implications for avian diversity and community composition. Ecological Restoration, v. 27, no. 4, p. 449-457.

Color My World, or, Leaves of Change!

Burnt sienna, raw umber and brick red might remind you of the crayons from your childhood Crayola box, but at The Morton Arboretum we’re starting to use these very words to describe our leaves! It’s autumn and as I walk and drive through the grounds, I’m beginning to see more and more leaves changing colors. With plants from 40 countries, it almost seems like there'll be no end to this beautiful season!

Interested in learning more about color on our grounds? Our very own Color Scout has previewed some colorful Arboretum destinations for you in his weekly color report. Curious why and how leaves change colors? Find out in Why Leaves Change Color.

Interested in reading and sharing some colorful stories? Visit the Sterling Morton Library to check out:
Leaf Man or Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
The Garden in Autumn by Allen Lacy
Autumn Leaves by Ron Lanner
Sketching Outdoors in Autumn by Jim Arnosky
Pumpkin Heads! By Wendell Minor
Songbird Journeys : four seasons in the lives of migratory birds by Miyoko Chu
On the Wing : American birds in migration by Carol Lerner
Living on the Wind : across the hemisphere with migratory birds by Scott Weidensaul
Autumn across America by Edwin Way Teale

Go for a walk, scramble through the fallen leaves and immerse yourself in an autumn world of burnt sienna, raw umber and brick red at The Morton Arboretum. Whether you’re looking for some information on plants to select for superb fall color, sharing an autumnal story with a wee one or wanting to read a little more in-depth about this vivid season, the Sterling Morton Library has a host of resources awaiting you!

The Heart of Winter : Morton Arboretum Chamber Concert Series 2009-2010

Each year, The Morton Arboretum presents a fascinating series of chamber concerts. Imagine the opportunity to view the beautiful winter landscapes at the Arboretum while listening to fine music! Enjoy this remarkable season and delve into a diverse melange of performers, instruments and composers. Join us for our 2009-2010 season and revel in the performances of:

Sunday, November 1, 2009 – 2:15 p.m.
Members of the Chicago Philharmonic

Sunday, December 6, 2009 – 2:15 p.m.
Patrick Ball - The Christmas Rose

Sunday, January 10, 2010 – 2:15 p.m.

Cavatina Duo

Sunday, February 7, 2010 – 2:15 p.m.

Millar Brass Quintet

Sunday, March 7, 2010 – 2:15 p.m.
Quintuplex Woodwind Quintet

Originally held in the Sterling Morton Library, all concerts are now presented in the Auditorium of the Thornhill Education Center. After each performance, a reception in the adjoining Founder's Room offers the opportunity to enjoy conversations with the artists and fellow audience members in the splendor of the original library of the Arboretum's founder, Joy Morton.

Tickets:
Individual ticket:

$23.00 for Arboretum members and $28.00 for non-members
5-concert series ticket:

$105.00 for Arboretum members and $130.00 for non-members
Tickets are available at:
On-line at: http://www.mortonarb.org/calendar/article/15504/chamber-concert-series.html

In-person at The Arboretum’s Visitor Center

By phone at 630-725-2066 (Monday through Friday from 9-5)

Via snail mail

Celebrate the heart of winter at the Arboretum and attend an upcoming concert!

On the Origins of Bird Species

This Thursday, September 24th, we'll be having the 4th lecture in our year-long series in evolutionary biology, "Trees of Life." Dr. Trevor Price from the University of Chicago will be joining us to present a talk called "On the Origins of Bird Species," focusing on his work on speciation of birds in the Himalayas.
How do new species of birds originate? Trevor will discuss Darwin's theory of the origin of species through natural selection, and explain how our understanding of speciation has progressed since Darwin's books were published. He will also share highlights from his own research on the gradient of bird species diversity in the Himalayas and insights from his recent book, Speciation in Birds. The talk will be from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in Cudahy Auditorium at The Morton Arboretum.

Registration details for this event can be found at: http://www.mortonarb.org/education.html

Hope to see you at the lecture!

Articles of note in the Sterling Morton Library : September’s offerings

These are some recent articles that can be found within the journal collection of the Sterling Morton Library. Please visit the Library to discover the incredible botanical and horticultural resources that await you! If you are unable to visit the Library and interested in reviewing one of these articles, I would be delighted to help you at rhassert@mortonarb.org.

Elliott, Brent. Changes in the flowering times of garden plants over three centuries. Garden, n.s. v. 8, pt. 3, 154-160.

Analysis of the pocket guides of the 17th- and 18th-century gardeners.

Herkert, James R. and Francis M. Harty. In a place called Illinois : landscape restoration in Illinois. The Illinois Steward, v. 18, no. 2.
Discover these remarkable places and restoration projects:

• Cache River Wetlands
• Dixon Waterfowl Refuge: Hennepin and Hopper Lakes
• Emiquon Complex
• Illinois Ozarks
• Indian Boundary Prairies
• Kankakee Sands Macrosite
• Lost Mound/Hanover Bluff
• Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
• Nachusa Grasslands
• Nygren Wetland Preserve
• Prairie Ridge State Natural Area

Martin, Frank Edgerton. Framing the tallgrass prairie. Landscape Architecture, v. 99, no. 9, p. 44-53.
A Missouri farmstead restores native flora.

Meier, C.L., Keyserling K. & Bowman, W.D. Fine root inputs to soil reduce growth of a neighbouring plant via distinct mechanisms dependent on root carbon chemistry. Journal of Ecology, v. 97, no. 5, p. 941-949.

Nelson, Gil. Deciduous native hollies. The American Gardener, v. 88, no. 5, p. 30-34.

The Artist as Explorer

Have you ever wondered how some of those fabulous botanical illustrations you see at antique shows and galleries came about? Well they may be considered fine art now, but their real purpose was to document the plants and other natural wonders discovered on scientific expeditions.
Register now to learn more about the origins of this fabulous art form.

The Artist as Explorer
Saturday, September 19, 2009, 1-4
Sterling Morton Library
Arlene Widrevitz, Freelance Artist & Rare Print Collection Staff, The Morton Arboretum
$36 (members $30)

Natural history artists have made a significant contribution to the exploration, discovery, and documentation of plants through the centuries. Learn how artists traveled the globe with scientific expeditions. The work of Ferdinand Bauer, Sydney Parkinson, Maria Sybilla Merian, and Maryann North will be discussed. Tea and goodies will be served.

Register for this class online or by phone (630) 719-2468.

Dazzling dragonflies and blue gentians!

Walking in the Schulenberg Prairie at The Morton Arboretum earlier this week, I was mesmerized by squadrons of dragonflies, a carpet of blue gentians, the scent of Sporobolus heterolepis (a.k.a. prairie dropseed) and lots of tall waving grasses. Rich with the whir of insect wings, flitting finches and the sound of the wind rushing through Indian grass, big bluestem and switchgrass, this area continues to amaze through all four seasons. The prairie is indeed looking very lush in these waning days of summer – a veritable feast for the spirit and soul!

Our collections within the Sterling Morton Library include resources on prairies and prairie plants. The collection ranges from John Weaver’s classic, North American Prairie to Claudia McGehee’s charming children’s book A Tallgrass Prairie Alphabet to The Elemental Prairie featuring watercolors by George Olson. In addition to resources about these plants and this ecosystem, we also have resources about creatures the live in the prairie like Mitchell’s A Dazzle of Dragonflies and Johnsgard’s Prairie Birds : fragile splendor in the Great Plains. Wonder how Native Americans might have used prairie plants? Be sure to review Moerman’s Native American Ethnobotany and Kindscher’s Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie : an ethnobotanical guide. Interested in the folklore related to these native plants? Try skimming Gilmore’s Prairie Smoke : a collection of lore of the prairies.

Like the Schulenberg Prairie, the Sterling Morton Library is a rich resource to be savored and explored. The Library is open Tuesday-Friday from 9-5 and Saturday from 10-4. All are welcome and encouraged to use our collections! Arboretum members and active volunteers have borrowing privileges. Located in the Administration and Research Center on the Arboretum's east side, we're just a short walk from the Visitor Center.

Articles of note in the Sterling Morton Library : August’s offerings

These are some recent articles that can be found within the journal collection of the Sterling Morton Library. Please visit the Library to discover the incredible botanical and horticultural resources that await you! If you are unable to visit the Library and interested in reviewing one of these articles, I would be delighted to help you at rhassert@mortonarb.org.

Cregg, Bert. Conifer corner : mighty miniatures. Conifer Quarterly, v. 26, no. 3, p. 22-28.

Drake, John M. and Blaine D. Griffen. Speed of expansion and extinction in experimental populations. Ecology Letters, v. 12, no. 8, p. 772-778.

Golembiewski, Teresa A. Meat eaters with roots and leaves. Wisconsin Natural Resources, v. 33, no. 4, p. 26-28.

McEwan, Ryan W., M. Keith Birchfield, Angela Schoergendorfer and Mary A. Arthur. Leaf phenology and freeze tolerance of the invasive shrub Amur honeysuckle and potential native competitors. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, v. 136, no. 2, p. 212-220.

Valdovinos, Fernanda S., Rodrigo Ramos-Jiliberto, José D. Flores, Claudia Espinoza, and Gioconda López. Structure and dynamics of pollination networks: the role of alien plants. Oikos, v. 118, No. 8, pp. 1190-1200.

Ware, George. Silver maple and Freeman maple: some comments on merits and demerits. Illinois Trees, v. 24, no. 5, p. 1+.

Exhibits to Explore in the Sterling Morton Library

During this year of celebrations – the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of the Species and the 100th anniversary of the Burnham Plan - the Sterling Morton Library currently has three special exhibits to explore.

Darwin's Flowers: Unlocking Natural Selection
After returning from his voyage on the Beagle (1831-1836), Charles Darwin renewed his childhood interest in plants. By 1881 he had written seven major books on pollinators and pollinating mechanisms, insectivorous plants, the power of movement in plants, and a pioneering work on orchid biology. This exhibit presents examples of these varied studies as Darwin saw them - supporting evidence for his theory that natural selection is the driving force of evolving life.

Make Big Plans: Daniel Burnham's Vision of an American Metropolis
A photo-panel exhibit created by the Newberry Library for the centennial of the Plan of Chicago. More details about this fascinating project can be found at:
http://burnhamplan100.uchicago.edu/newberryexhibit/

Worth His Salt: Joy Morton and the Plan of Chicago
Through photographs and text discover how Joy Morton, a long-time member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, made significant contributions to the development of the 1909 Plan of Chicago. Curious about other centennial events? The Burnham Plan Centennial site has a number of resources and a list of engaging events at: http://burnhamplan100.uchicago.edu/

If these current exhibits within the Library pique your interest, the following selected resources will further your understanding:

• Smith, Carl S.The plan of Chicago : Daniel Burnham and the remaking of the American city, 2006. NA737.B85 S65
• Plan of Chicago : prepared under the direction of the Commercial Club during the years MCMVI, MCMVII, and MCMVIII, 1909. REF NA9127.C4C7
• Ballowe, James. A man of salt and trees : the life of Joy Morton, 2009. CT9610.M6B3
• McGinty, Alice B. Darwin, 2009. J CT9460.D2M4
• Schanzer, Rosalyn. What Darwin saw : the journey that changed the world, 2009.
  J CT9460.D2S3
• Quammen, David. The reluctant Mr. Darwin : an intimate portrait of Charles Darwin and the making of his theory of evolution, 2006. CT 9460.D2Q3
• Keynes, R. D. Fossils, finches, and Fuegians : Darwin’s adventures and discoveries on the Beagle, 2003. QH11.K49

Articles of note in the Sterling Morton Library : June/July’s offerings

These are some recent articles that can be found within the journal collection of the Sterling Morton Library. Please visit the Library to discover the incredible botanical and horticultural resources that await you! If you are unable to visit the Library and interested in reviewing one of these articles, I would be delighted to help you at rhassert@mortonarb.org.

Albert, Lisa. Curbside gardens. The American Gardener, v. 88, no. 4, p. 32-37.

Day, Susan D., Gary Watson, P. Eric Wiseman, and J. Roger Harris. Causes and consequences of deep structural roots in urban trees: from nursery production to landscape establishment. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, v. 35, no. 4, p. 182-191.

Fournier, Ingrid Hekman and Leslie Dryer Edison. Linking science and writing with Two Bad Ants. Science & Children, v. 46, no. 9, p. 41-43.

Johnson, Eric. Succulent choices. Northern Gardener, v. 137, no. 4, p. 39-43.

Kingsbury, Noel. Echinaceas. Gardens Illustrated, no. 150, p. 48-55.

MacDougall, A.S., B. Gilbert and J. M. Levine. Plant invasions and the niche. Journal of Ecology, v. 97, no. 4, p. 609-615.

Open House at The Morton Arboretum

Sunday, June 28th, is the Arboretum's Open House. This is a time when we open up our doors/labs/offices from noon until 4:00 p.m to the world! During this event, we invite you to visit the Sterling Morton Library and learn more about what we do. On the event schedule there is a wide variety of activities, but of special note (and because this is the Sterling Morton Library blog) are the activities hosted by the Library. Open house attendees in the Library will have the opportunity to:

• Meet Jim Ballowe, author of the recently published biography – A Man of Salt and Trees : the life of Joy Morton
• Discover wood engraving techniques with artist, Arlene Widrevitz
• View examples of wood engraved illustrations in our collections
• Preview our new exhibit, Darwin's Flowers: Unlocking Natural Selection
• Listen to Rabbit Ears, flute and guitar duo, in the May T. Watts Reading Garden
• Meet with Library staff to learn more about our collections
• View a selection of unusual items from our special collections that are seldom on display
  
  There will be lots of opportunities to meet Library staff and gain an exclusive perspective on our work and passion. For complete details about the event and registration information, please see:
  http://www.mortonarb.org/calendar/article/13549/member-open-house-.html
  
  Hope to see you on Sunday!

Raindrops on roses and ... rain gardens!

Usually this time of the year, I’ve started to log some serious hours in my garden --tethered to a hose and clutching a water wand as I minister to a wilted plant. In northern Illinois, we oftentimes experience extended dry periods during the growing season. This year, however, is different. We have been receiving consistent rainfall throughout the spring – the Morton Arboretum looks spectacular! The combination of cool, wet weather has created lots of luxurious growth on plants ranging from the sweet peas outside the Library entrance to the conifers along the walk to Frost Hill. It is a great time to be gardening or, at least, to be an admirer of gardens!
Making the most of resources is something that gardeners seem to do especially well. The following resources available in the Sterling Morton Library explore making the most of a very precious resource – our rainwater:

• Ciesinski, Therese. "Rain Check." Organic Gardening 55.6 (Aug. 2008): 62-66.
• Davis, Julie Bawden. "Showering of Gifts." Native Plants 22.4 (Summer 2006): 24-29.
• Doyle, Janice J. "What about Rain Gardens?" National Gardener 77.3 (Summer 2006): 26-27.
• Dunnett, Nigel and Andy Clayden. Rain Gardens : Managing Water Sustainably in the Garden and Designed Landscape. Portland, Or.: Timber Press, 2007. SB475.83 .D86
• Fortnam, Joanna. "Let it Rain." Garden Design (June 2006): 62-63.
• Haapoja, Margaret A. "Rain, Rain -- Grow Away!." Northern Gardener 133.2 (Mar. 2005): 40-43.
• Loven, Zazel. "Your Natural Landscape." Organic Gardening 54.3. (Apr. 2007): 52-57.
• Maloney, Cathy Jean. "Let It Rain." Chicagoland Gardening 11.2 (Mar. 2005): 70-74.
• Reas, Lisa. "Rain Gardens." Garden Gate (Apr. 2009): 6-7.
• Rottle, Nancy, and Anna O'Connell. "Designing and Rating Sustainable Sites." Public Garden 20.4 (Dec. 2005): 35-36.

Additional resources are available at:

• Rain Gardens by Jack Broughton
• Rain Gardens: a how-to Manual for Homeowners by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin Extension
• Rain Gardens—Using Spectacular Wetland Plantings to Reduce Runoff by Janet Marinelli

Come in out of the rain and peruse these resources in the Sterling Morton Library! Remember: the Library is open Tuesday through Friday from 9-5 and Saturday from 10-4.

Articles of note in the Sterling Morton Library : May’s offerings

These are some recent articles that can be found within the journal collection of the Sterling Morton Library. Please visit the Library to discover the incredible botanical and horticultural resources that await you! If you are unable to visit the Library and interested in reviewing one of these articles, I would be delighted to help you at rhassert@mortonarb.org.

Barron, Trica. Weeds! Plant Health Care Report, issue 2009.03, p. 7-8.
Article can be found at: http://www.mortonarb.org/tree-plant-advice/article/13591.html

Bloom, Adrian. Garden practice : pruning conifers. The Garden, 134, pt. 5, p. 334-335.

Fedewa, Chard A. and J. Ryan Stewart. Seed germination characteristics of prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis). Natural Areas Journal, v. 29, no. 2, p. 188-192.

Kaufman, Kenn. Audubon’s Field Guide to birding trails : Midwest edition. Audubon, v. 111, no. 3, 18-20.

Kelley, Ellen. Winter burn on conifers. Conifer Quarterly, v. 26, no. 2, p. 26-27.

McCay, Timothy S., Deanna H. McCay, Anthony V. Caragiulo, and Toby L. Mandel . Demography and distribution of the invasive Rhamnus cathartica in habitats of a fragmented landscape. The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, v. 136, no. 1, p. 110-121.

Mohlenbrock, Robert H. On heron pond. Natural History, v. 118, no. 4, p. 52-53.