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  • … for a range of insects, small mammals and birds, and even bison. Bad Hair Day switch grass is an upright grass of about 6 feet in height and 7 feet in width. The most notable feature is the upright stems, topped by the heavy pendulous panicles appearing in summer that are responsive to even light breezes and give rise to its name. Spring foliage is grayish-green, which turns a light yellowish-brown by summer and persists throughout the …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Many homeowners do their lawn renovation in spring, but in fact this work is better done in fall once summer's heat and drought have passed. In fall, cool air temperatures … grow less vigorously in fall than in spring, when they compete with grass seedlings. Fall is also a good time to assess your lawn. Before you do anything, ask why your lawn is not doing well. Do you have grubs? Too much shade? Compacted soil? You should address the …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Description:  This flycatcher is a breeding species that is most often found calling from willow thickets around the Dixon Prairie. …
    Type: Birding
  • … of the mint family (Lamiaceae), with its silvery foliage and tall lavender flowers, this herb is an attractive addition to any perennial bed. Add lavender's characteristic scent that is stored in oil glands embedded among its flowers, leaves and stems, and the result is a plant … to encourage vigorous new growth. It is imperative to provide lavender with a well-drained site if it is to survive the cold and damp of winter. Lavender is indeed a versatile modern plant …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … In the face of increasingly unpredictable winter weather, what is remaining constant, what is changing, and how is nature affected? Use winter-based phenomena to drive investigations around these questions. …
    Type: Item Detail
  • … This tree is another snake skin maple that is native to China. It can grow up to 30 feet high with full sun to partial shade and moderate moisture conditions. Its bark is green with pale green and white stripes which contrasts beautifully with its fall colors of …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … The silver maple is native to eastern North America. It can reach a height of 80 feet with a spread of 50 feet. This tree requires full sun, but is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and conditions. It gets its name from the silvery … of its finely dissected, five lobed leaves held on slightly weeping branches. Fall color is yellow and bronze. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … This is a large, deciduous shrub that can slowly grow to 16 feet high and 10 feet wide. It blooms with … in late spring to early summer. These provide a contrast with its dark green foliage. It is not fussy about soil type as long as it is well drained and in full sun. It can tolerate dappled shade. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … This is a small to medium sized tree (25 feet tall with a similar spread). It blooms with small panicles of yellow flowers in the spring. Unlike many buckeyes, this cultivar is resistant to summer leaf scorch and has deep maroon fall coloring. It prefers full sun to light shade and will tolerate dryer conditions that other buckeyes once it is established. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Camassia cusickii is a North American bulb native to moist meadows in northeastern Oregon. Camassia is derived from the Native American name for this group of plants – quamash. Beautiful blue … ideal selection for Chicago area gardeners. Unlike its cousin, Camassia quamash , this species is not edible; its bulbs smell bad. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant