… This cultivar was selected for a more intense blue color to the normally green needles and a compact growth habit to 60' … soils if planted on a slight rise. Full sun conditions preserve the blue-green coloration best. Unusual in that these plants are propagated by seed whereas most cultivars are vegetatively …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… stems. The Fastigiata cultivar has a neater appearance than the species, so it is usually the best one for a perennial border. The rose, pink, or white flowers with a slight notch in each petal have a silky appearance. The gray-green leaves are three-lobed to five-lobed. Although this plant may be short-lived, it remains a garden presence because of …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… As this small, graceful tree ages, it becomes more rounded in habit. It is recommended for a naturalistic garden. The flowers are not ornamentally significant. The fruits, nutlets that … and one of the hardest of all woods. Hop hornbeam is a native tree of rich woodlands. Related to birches but without the insect and disease problems, this tree is best known for hoplike papery seed pods that dangle from its branches in early autumn. It is a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… August’s warm weather provides an opportune time for Chicago-area gardeners to enjoy their efforts, whether it’s admiring the flowers lavishly blooming in the yard, or … of some annuals and perennials to encourage additional blooms and to keep plants looking their best. However, let certain dried flowerheads stand for fall and winter interest; good choices … August is a great month to … The centuries-old craft of drying flowers offers a tangible way to preserve the beauty of the garden, all year long. Find tips and techniques here, and learn …
Type: Plant Info
… that spark color in the dormant prairie remnants of early spring are sought by everyone trying to recreate or restore prairies. However, this pretty little spring wildflower has proved difficult to establish in prairie restorations. It’s not that this species is rare. In fact, it occurs abundantly in high-quality remnants of natural prairie. Yet, it is legendary for putting up a fight for those of us who try to establish it into new prairie plantings. Not …
Type: Blog
… This Celosia was bred to continue flowering even during the hottest summer days; a significant improvement over earlier cultivars. Dark purple, feathered plumes arise above the green foliage from June to the first frost of fall. Plant 'Dark Purple' in full sun and in average soils, and water it to get the root system established; then only water it during periods of drought or when the leaves …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Fabiany Herrera , Ph.D., of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, together with lead author Monica Carvalho and Carlos … others, discovered for the first time how the tropical rainforest in South America responded to the asteroid impact that ended the reign of dinosaurs, approximately 66 million years ago. … This study also shows that it took almost six million years for the tropical rainforest to recover after the asteroid impact. Herrera highlights that if it took that much time for the …
Type: Research
… remember the first time you encounter a crown imperial Fritillaria imperialis . On a stalk up to 3 feet tall, a flashy cluster of orange bells is surmounted by an odd-looking topknot of green … be charmed. If your path has a pitch to help water run off, plant them on the low side so they get the soaking after rain. The crown imperial is as opposite to the checkered fritillary in its … suggests planting the bulb canted to its side so water doesn't collect in the divot. One way to handle the demands of the crown imperial is to grow it in a container with an especially …
Type: Plant Info
… of Korean littleleaf boxwood. This evergreen shrub grows into a perfect narrow pyramid to a height of 12 feet with full sun to partial shade and is not fussy about soils. This variety is very hardy, with minor bronzing … harsh winters. It may be visited by boxwood psyllid, a tiny insect that causes new leaves to curl up. The problem is cosmetic, and no treatment is needed. Regular clipping will keep the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… green by midsummer when the white bottlebrush flowers are in bloom, and red and copper for the finale in autumn. At 3-feet by 3 feet, it's also smaller than most Rodgersias so it can fit your garden easily. In shady areas, Rodgersias give you a bold counterpoint to the delicate airy foliage common to so many woodland plants. The leaves of certain varieties … and not reliably, at least in our climate. The drama's in the foliage. Give them time to get established, dappled sun, and consistent moisture, and they'll thrive. Slugs, rabbits and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
