… Ostrich fern is an upright, arching, deciduous fern that is easy to grow in damp to wet soil in partial to full shade—it can also tolerate a fair amount of sun. One of the largest and most popular of the ferns, it grows 2-3 feet in most gardens but can reach 6 feet in the wild. The name ostrich fern refers to the long …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… features dark green leaves and large clusters of flowers which are either lacecap or mophead in structure. Mariesii Variegata, a lacecap cultivar that grows 4 to 6 feet tall, has large green … It blooms from May through August. Its spectacular blooms change color depending on the soil in which it is planted–blue in acidic soils and pink in alkaline soils–and are surrounded by a ring of white. Planted in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Jacob's ladder is a biblical name for a heavenly plant. It grows up to 2' in height with attractive foliage, divided, with 19 to 27 leaflets per leaf. Drooping dainty blue flowers hover over the plant in early summer. This is a clump-forming perennial, mainly hairless but slightly hairy near the … lax but near the flowers they are open, forming erect, bell-shaped lavender blue flowers in early spring. Smaller plants can grow in the front of the border, with taller ones behind …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… by a petaloid calyx. Glossy leaves with prominent drip tips are all indicative of its origins in tropical rainforests. In cultivation it requires relatively warm temperatures and high humidity, and grows equally well in a large container or planted in the soil of a conservatory. Bright light is preferable. This …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… time! After an hour of exploring, nothing beats ice cream at the Rose Terrace Beer Garden in summer. … time! After an hour of exploring, nothing beats ice cream at the Rose Terrace Beer Garden in summer. …
Type: Page
… Sue Bergren is principal organist at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Naperville, IL. She earned a Master’s degree in organ performance from Northern Illinois University after having worked for several years in a non-musical technical environment. She is also a certified Carillonneur, and plays regularly …
Type: Event for Calendar
… luring both butterflies and those passing by to stop a moment. Hardy gingers originated in the Himalayas, but have since naturalized in tropical areas around the world. They’re fast-growing, versatile perennials. Just give them rich, evenly moist soil and at least 4 hours of sun. In the North, they can take full sun. In the South, some shade is generally advised. While you …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Narcissus ‘Acropolis’ is in Division 4. It stands 13 – 18 inches tall and blooms in mid to late spring with double flowers that have a full and fluffy appearance and a spicy fragrance. The white petals are arranged in multiple whorls with segments of the white corona interspersed. The base of each corona …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… with fall color of dark burgundy to end the season. Use the hybrid P.J.M. rhododendrons in the shrub border or as foundation plants. Flowers appear in May in northern Illinois, earlier in southern Illinois. These are some of the easiest rhododendrons …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… that cover the crown and the forked, arching, fertile fronds that give the plant its name. In optimal conditions a home-grown plant can reach 2-3 feet in height and width. A warm humid environment with filtered light is necessary for successfully growing these epiphytic ferns. In home gardens it is commonly grown by tying the crown to a board or planting in an epiphytic …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
