… the color, leaves have very rippled margins. It blooms in late spring with lavender flowers on 3 foot stalks. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy-to-grow, and long-lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… to its demise at the turn of the twentieth century, when these and other waders were hunted for their feathery plumes that women wore in their hats. Since then, the great egret, standing … is a great blue heron. Photo © Carol Freeman During breeding season, a patch of skin on the bird’s face turns green, contrasting with the bright yellow bill. Males perform fancy … is doing well in Illinois; however, habitat loss and water pollution may threaten its future. Visit Baker’s Lake in Barrington to watch the great egret during breeding season and McGinnis …
Type: Blog
… and reds of the torch lilies, the evaluation garden will be a riot of colors and a haven for pollinators. The masterworts sulked last summer so we worried that winter might end the … of Korean burnet ( Sanguisorba hakusanensis ‘Lilac Squirrel’), which bob and dance on arched stems above handsome gray-green leaves. In August, you cannot miss the bodacious … on Instagram and Facebook. Keep an eye on our social media channels, but better yet, come visit us in person. …
Type: Blog
… Rhododendron 'Weston's Diamond Pink' was in full bloom underneath the pines on the second Japanese Island. A stunning sight, this is the best bloom staff can recall in years … leaves color up orange to red and drop but those closest to the tips of the branches remain on the branch until flowering. Rhododendrons, regardless of species or cultivar, need special … pH values are too high. When this happens certain nutrients, like iron, become unavailable for the production of metabolites necessary for healthy growth. This typically shows up as …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… at its center, are fragrant and double. Its stems are strong, making it the perfect candidate for a vase. Peony bloom time is classified as early, mid-, and late; ‘Festiva Maxima’ is a midseason bloomer. It grows to 36 inches tall, taking on a shrubby appearance throughout the summer, then dies to the ground in the fall. Plant in sun … category—the Itoh or intersectional peonies—display the extravagant blooms of tree peonies on herbaceous stems. All peonies bloom between April and June. Flowers on tree peonies appear one …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This class is for homeowners and beginning gardeners who want a more hands-on landscape design class. Val Lemme will share her experience and ideas to help students work through a garden design for their own property. Valerie Gerdes Lemme, landscape architect, ASLA Linnaeus Room, Regenstein …
Type: Item Detail
… Winter can be as easy or as hard on bugs as on humans, which is why after a fairly mild winter, some gardeners fear the worst. They imagine … plant bugs, cucumber beetles, spongy moths — the list is legion. And all are ravenous for something green. Good and Bad Bugs Before you act, remember that not all bugs are harmful. If …
Type: Plant Info
… Description: Look for the shaggy-black head and narrow-toothed bill of this medium-sized duck as it dives on the lakes. …
Type: Birding
… Description: A rare bird of marshes and sedge meadows. Look for this hard-to-find bird on Marsh Island in the Dixon Prairie. …
Type: Birding
… Description: A fairly common migrant and breeder here. Look for it in any wooded habitat on migration or in McDonald Woods in summer. …
Type: Birding
