Beth Botts’ article, “Exhibit a refreshing review of photosynthesis and why it matters so much to our lives” appeared in the May 31, 2008 issue of The News Press after its initial publication in The Chicago Tribune. When Botts experienced “Sugar from the Sun” she said while sometimes “plants may seem like just something to look at” its their chemical reaction that “keeps us all alive.” Though the process of photosynthesis is basically the same, through millions of years of evolution plants of all kinds have sprouted throughout the world in all shapes and sizes from broad leaves in the tropics to fuzzy green moss on arctic rocks.
Botts ponders some things as she walks through “Sugar from the Sun” and suggested any gardener walking through the exhibit might ask about the epiphytes (orchids, air plants) way up high or why some plants have red or white pigments when chlorophyll is a green chemical. Why do some roots grow out of the soil? And if plants absorb their energy from the sun, what part does water play in the process?
From the curious gardener to the casual observer Garfield Park Conservatory’s “Sugar from the Sun” exhibit offers something for everyone this summer and years to come.
