… Cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis ) is a native perennial considered one of Illinois' Best Plants. Growing 2 to 3 feet tall, cardinal flower is blooming at the water's edge of Spider Island, where it can grow in full sun because the soil is constantly moist. Hummingbirds searching for nectar are especially fond of the cardinal …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This alpine currant cultivar is a dwarf (3'), dense, mounding, deciduous shrub, grown primarily for its attractive dark green, fine-textured, three-lobed leaves. 'Green Mound' is a male cultivar that will bear no fruit (this species requires male and female plants for fruit production). Inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers appear in April. Fall color is a dull yellow. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Swamp aster is an herbaceous perennial that grows upright to a height of about 8 feet under full sun and … In late summer and early fall, it produces blue and purple flowers that fade to white, and it is attractive to butterflies. The plant is mostly used as a bedding or border planting. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Q. What is the best way to plant a rhododendron? A. When planting rhododendrons, it is important to select a variety that is winter hardy for your plant hardiness zone, based on the USDA plant hardiness zone map. The …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. When should I plant my tender annual bulbs? A. It is safe to plant your tender bulbs after the average date of the last frost, which is approximately May 15 in the Chicago area. It is important not to work the soil while it is too wet. Soil should crumble when it is squeezed …
Type: Plant Info
… ‘Feuerland’ is a cherry red cultivar with yellow centers. It opens bright red and slowly ages to burnt orange and yellow. It is derived from the popular Achillea millefolium with a long blooming season from May through August. It is a staple of the sunny perennial garden, usually planted in beds and borders where its cheerful …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 'GOLDEN COLONNADE®' is a large tree selected for its strong central leader and narrow oval habit. It was introduced by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. of Oregon. It is a male clone, which will not produce the distinctive smelly fruit, and will develop into … a specimen or shade tree, and its narrow shape makes it work well as a street tree. The Ginkgo is an ancient deciduous conifer and evidence has been found which shows this tree coexisted with …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ‘Ilvomindy’ is sold under its trademark name of MEGA MINDY™. This is a compact shrub 4 ½ to 5 ½ ft tall with a spread of 4 to 6 ft. It has large, conical … white as the new flowers emerge at the tip. It blooms until fall. The color of the flowers is not affected by the pH of the soil. ‘Ilvomindy’ does well in full sun to light shad and is …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ecosystems throughout the eastern and southern parts of the US. Dewey Blue bitter switch grass is an upright grass of about four feet in height and about three feet in width. The foliage is a characteristic grayish-blue which persists throughout the winter months if the plant is not cut back. Like most switch grasses, Dewey Blue is extremely versatile and can cope with a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Northern or Prairie Dropseed is widely regarded as the most attractive of the American prairie grasses. It is a clumping warm season grass with bright green leaves and delicate flower spikes that appear … brown in late fall. In massed plantings the flowers provide an attractive pinkish haze which is enhanced by back-lighting in early morning or late afternoon. This grass is a wonderful all …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
