… the way through the plants' root zones. "People ignore that," he says. "They may work the soil for a couple of inches, but they are not really getting down where the roots form." Who wants to … dirt is not the way most of us want to spend our Saturday. Yet good soil, whether purchased for pots or created in the garden by adding organic matter, is the absolute foundation for plants' success. All those fabulous flowers won't have a chance unless they are planted into …
Type: Plant Info
… he fell in love with “how resilient and amazing nature is.” Clarence Smith’s family has farmed for generations in Michigan and Mississippi; Windy City Harvest programs “brought him back to his roots,” and helped him discover that he has a knack for the business side of farming. Put these three Chicagoans together, and the Big Three—their nickname for themselves—fit together like “perfect puzzle pieces,” according to Coleman. Over the past few …
Type: Blog
… Astilbe x arendsii 'Fanal' (red) Astilbe thunbergii 'Straussenfeder' (salmon pink) For a dramatic statement, the tallest of the genus, Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii … flowers. Cultivars of the Chinese astilbes are faster to spread, making them fine candidates for ground covers. The famous German hybridizer George Arends (1862-1952) considered the astilbe … 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Throughout the Lakeside Gardens and along the shoreline, look for masses of Astilbe x arendsii 'Amethyst' (lavender), 'Deutschland' (white), 'Finale' …
Type: Plant Info
… blooming in September or October, depending on the cultivar and the weather, and keep it up for three or four weeks or until they are wilted by frost. Some, such as Tricyrtis formosana, … hostas before they get to the tricyrtis," he says. All the shade standards are good companions for toad lilies: hostas, ferns, Solomon's seal, sedges, brunnera, and lungwort. Or plant them …
Type: Plant Info
… projects that was completed in 2012. The restored shoreline provides an enhanced habitat for our aquatic life, which includes wood ducks, double-crested cormorants, and snapping turtles, … takes place. Algae is important to the ecological balance of our waters and a food source for fish and other aquatic animals. And what’s that plant that’s breaking, or about to break, …
Type: Blog
… no rain, it’s tricky to figure out how and what to water. Our experts have some watering tips for your summer garden and containers. Know what you are watering weekly A general watering rule … to evaporate quickly, too. —Cool nights or warm this week? Cool nights slow evaporation. For some gardeners, an electronic or written garden journal is a helpful tool for plotting … are available through the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District website . In Lake County, visit the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County website for plastic rain barrels. An internet search …
Type: Plant Info
… pollinators and that each pollinator has a specific flower type that they are attracted to. For hummingbirds, many gardeners and scientists alike have long assumed their flower type to be … strikingly red, tubular, and scentless. Flowers that are often thought of as typical choices for hummingbirds: Wyoming paintbrush Castilleja linariifolia Giant red paintbrush … hummingbirds do have a sense of smell. So why would hummingbirds go out of their way to visit a limited selection of reddish, long-tubed, scentless flowers that produce cheaper nectar …
Type: Blog
… in its myriad forms, as our accompanying video demonstrates. “Basil evokes nostalgic feelings for me of my grandmother and father gardening,” said Lisa Hilgenberg, horticulturist at the …
Type: Blog
… winter burn on evergreens ( read our blog about it here ), lots of dead branches, and, for many homeowners, the loss of key "hardscape" elements: the shrubs that are the backbone of … and garden. In this month's Smart Gardener , we look at shrubs that are worthy replacements for those that you may have lost this year. Unfamiliar with some of these? All are valuable in … Bayberry ( Myrica pensylvanica ) Bayberry could be the "foundation plant" you're looking for when evergreens are lost or it's time to replace those decades-old shrubs that have reached …
Type: Plant Info
… that can be pruned. You just have to know the plant, its growth characteristics, its best time for pruning, and what your intentions are for that plant as it plays into the whole of your garden design. “Well, I don’t have a design. I … with extra handles and nothing like those pictures in the gardening magazines. There is good news — you can have a shrub that looks like it came straight out of a gardening magazine by …
Type: Plant Info
