What's in Bloom

Visitor Center: The entrance has been spruced up for the season with dwarf Alberta spruces (Picea glauca 'Conica') and arborvitae. Inside giant myrtle balls hang from the ceiling. Cascading from the bridge are assorted greens and winterberry.

Parking Lots, Lake-Cook Entrance and Gatehouse: Autumn Embers® vernal witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis 'Klmnineteen') is in bloom. Winter interest: Striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum ) –green-striped bark, Winter Flame dogwood (Cornus sanguinea 'Winter Flame') –orange & red twigs, redosier dogwood (Cornus sericea) –red twigs, hairyleaf cotoneaster (Cotoneaster submultiflorus) – red fruit , panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond') - seed heads, Red Sprite winterberry (Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite') – berries, thorny sentinels of devil's walking stick (Aralia spinosa),Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica)-green twigs, crabapples (Malus 'Adams', 'Prairifire', 'Winter Gold'), Malus baccata var. jackii, Malus floribunda redbud crabapple (Malus x zumi 'Calocarpa') –fruit; hybrid rugosa rose (Rosa 'Belle Poitevine') –red fruit. Gatehouse & Lake-Cook Entrance: Flower bulbs have been planted for next spring.

Plant Science Center: Interesting bark: Whitespire birch (Betula populifolia 'Whitespire'), redosier dogwood (Cornus sericea 'Cardinal'). Fruits: Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa 'Autumn Magic', 'Morton', 'Professor Ed'), swamp rose (Rosa palustris), white hedge snowberry (Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii 'White Hedge'). Flower heads: swamp milkweed (Asclepia incarnata), Incrediball® smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Abetwo'), and varieties of grasses. Rooftops: Colorful foliage: lavender, devil's tongue prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa), salvia, sedum varieties.

Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden: Muted earth colors from the island are a backdrop for the sundial in the center of this garden, now the focal point. Some grasses can still be viewed though, including cultivars of switch grass (Panicum virgatum).

William Pullman Plant Evaluation Garden: Lenten rose (Helleborus niger 'Hgc Josef Lemper'). Interesting bark: David maple (Acer davidii), cherry bark maple (Acer griseum), Fox Valley® river birch (Betula nigra 'Little King'), Himilayan birch (Betula utilis), Prairie Dream® paperbark birch (Betula papyrifera 'Varen'), European beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purple Fountain', 'Rohan's Gold'), climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala ssp. petolaris). Cones: Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra), Western red cedar (Thuja plicata). Fruits: Eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus 'Morton'), crabapple (Malus 'Indian Magic' and 'Van Eseltine'). Evergreen foliage: various ferns, various boxwoods, varieties of arborvitae, pine, and spruce.