Richard Hawkeis the director of ornamental plant life enquiry atChicago Botanic Garden , where he manage relative evaluation of cosmetic works . TheCBG Plant Evaluation Programhas include 117 distinct trials over the retiring four decades , with 26 comparative test presently underway in three evaluation region . In 2011 , Richard begin reporting trial results inFine Gardeningmagazine and has since write dozens of characteristic article that can be found by call hisauthor page .
In this entertaining installment , Richard Hawke discusses his earliest computer storage of plants and horticulture , the Education Department and internships that position the foundation for his career , and the joys and challenge of developing a world - class plant life trial run plan . He also digs into the day - to - twenty-four hours details of plant evaluation and talks about some trial that yielded surprising results and some that were particular favourite , admit evaluations ofclematis , baptisias , butterfly stroke George H.W. Bush , andtender salvias .
The Chicago Botanic Garden has trialed 198 heucheras since 1995.Find out which cultivar execute better than the classic here .
The Chicago Botanic Garden was built on a series of islands , and grime conditions are not ideal . The original test beds were atop a substrate of corpse stain compact by lowering equipment ; the water table is very high , and drain can be problematic . Richard talks about these soil woe , and the solution that have improved soil structure and drainage in the newest plant evaluation surface area .
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Richard joined the staff of the Chicago Botanic Garden in the mid-1980s.Photo: courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
Richard joined the staff of the Chicago Botanic Garden in the mid-1980s.Photo: courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
CBG’s trial of tender salvias identified many vigorous cultivars that do well when grown as annuals.
Photos, clockwise from top left: Visions Premium/gapphotos.com, Nova Photo Graphik/gapphotos.com, and courtesy of Richard Hawke
The Chicago Botanic Garden was built on a series of islands with heavy clay soil.Photo: courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
Field evaluation is a core component of plant trials at Chicago Botanic Garden.
The Green Roof Gardens built atop the Plant Conservation Science Center are used to evaluate the suitability of plants for use in green roof assemblies.Photo: courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
With 26 trials currently underway, the evaluation areas at the Chicago Botanic Garden are a hub of research activity.Photo: courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
Richard now spends much of his time behind a desk, which makes him relish his time in the field even more.Photo: courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
The Plant Evaluation Program at Chicago Botanic Garden is one of the largest and most diverse in the nation.Photo: courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
