Plant Information

Smart Gardener

The Smart Gardener is published monthly as part of the Chicago Botanic Garden's eNewsletter. Find previous articles below, or sign up for our eNewsletter today to receive The Smart Gardener in your inbox!

Title	Month
Spring Houseplant Care	March
Honey, I Shrunk the Houseplants	February
Denizens of the Dark: Indoor Plants for Low-Light Spaces	January
How to Water Wisely This Summer	July
Tracks in the Snow	December
The Garden in Winter	December
Tempting Topiaries	December
Savor the Flavor	December
Photographing the Garden in Winter	December
O, Tannenbaum: Cone-Shaped Conifers for Your Front Yard	December
Keep evergreens ever safe and happy	December
Handmade Wreaths by Ever-Creative Staff	December
Garden-centric Gift Ideas	December
Fresh All Winter: Grow Herbs Indoors	December
Redbor Kale	November
Plant Now, Applause Later	November
Parsing Parsnips	November
Good Form: Holiday Crafts from the Garden	November
Fresh Flowers and Foliage Set the Scene for Celebration	November
Five Reasons to Raise a Hoophouse	November
Feeling Grateful for Gardens	November
Feeding the Birds: Seeds, Shrubs, Berries	November
Cold Weather	November
Bring your garden to the celebration!	November
All About Mulch	November
Trick or Treat	October
The Color Red	October
The Big Orange (and White and Blue)	October
Striking Gold	October
Spooky Plants	October
Shrubs with Great Fall Color	October
Flying Jewels: Gardening for Hummingbirds	October
Fall's deepest, darkest secret: purple foliage	October
Fall Lawn Care	October
Building Your Soil, Part 2	October
Toad Lilies	September
Time to Plant Garlic	September
Thinking Ahead to Spring: Early Risers	September
The Secret to a Successful Garden Next Year? Document It This Year!	September
Perennials and Shrubs for Tough Spots	September
Ornamental grasses for fall—and throughout the year	September
Native Asters Shine in the Garden	September
Fall Garden Chores	September
Drop by Drop: How Honey Happens	September
Curating the Aging Garden	September
Anemones, Fall-blooming	September
Zinnias: The Hardest-Working Flower in the Summer Garden	August
The Peak of the Prairie: Plants to Know and Grow	August
Summer Color	August
Rain Gardens	August
Picture-Perfect Waterlilies	August
Peppers are Hot	August
Handling the Harvest	August
Color in the Garden	August
After 'Annabelle'	August
Your Garden Can "Bee" Attractive to Pollinators	July
Weather Woes	July
Terrific Trios	July
Terrific Tomatoes	July
Tall, Dark, and Handsome...in the Garden	July
Phlox Cultivars	July
Insect Pests: Is something bugging your garden?	July
Gardening for Butterflies	July
Extending the Harvest: Get Ready to Sow Cool-Season Crops	July
Comeback Kids	July
Underused Shrubs	June
The Zen Garden	June
The Language of Weeds	June
Ten Weeds to Pull Now	June
Roses: Visiting the Queen of Flowers	June
Pruning Mature Roses?	June
Peppers	June
Grow a Living Fence	June
Flowers for the Vegetable Garden	June
Companion Plants	June
Warm-Season Veggies: Five Faves to Know and Grow	May
Viburnums	May
Top 5 Reasons to GYO (Grow Your Own) Fruit Trees	May
The Value of Native Plants	May
The Elements of Design	May
Plant a Pollinator Strip	May
Growing Potatoes: This Spud’s for You!	May
Building Your Soil, Part 1	May
Attracting Birds to Your Garden	May
A Tomato of a Different Color	May
Your Garden as a Sanctuary	April
Wildlife in the Garden: Protecting your Plants	April
Spring-Flowering Ornamental Trees	April
Perennials: Time to Divide and Multiply	April
Indoor Plants are Waking Up	April
In Praise of Mini-Daffodils	April
I'm Afraid to Grow Vegetables	April
Fritillaria	April
Daffodils: Plan Now, Plant Later	April
Woodland Wonders	March
Theme Gardens	March
Successful Seed Starting: When, Why, How	March
Spring Greens: Success with Cool-Season Edibles	March
Sow Your Spaghetti Sauce Now	March
Rethink your first salad of the year	March
Plan Now for a Gorgeous Fall Garden	March
Early Spring Crops	March
Create Your Own Garden Art	March
12 Plants for a More Fragrant Garden	March
Which witch hazel should be in your yard?	February
Vanilla: Sweet—and Savory	February
The Moonlight Garden: A Composition in White	February
Ten Herbs to Start Growing	February
Ready, Set, Seed Germination Test!	February
Herbal Tea	February
Good Reads for Gardeners	February
Getting Started with Starting Seeds	February
An Orchid FAQ: How to Repot	February
Winter Photography	January
Use Them or Lose Them: The Plants in your Spice Cabinet	January
Sowing Seeds Indoors	January
Smart Learning	January
Orchids in Your Living Room?	January
Irresistible Houseplants	January
Holiday Plants...That Keep on Giving	January
Brighten the Winter with Houseplants	January
Better Than Googling	January
50 New Year's Resolutions for Gardeners	January
Growing Bulbs Indoors	January
Bringing Houseplants Indoors	November
Growing Potatoes: This Spud’s for You!	May
Vertical Gardening