… grow in small flattened clusters in late spring on new wood. Spiraea betulifolia is named for the shape of its leaves, which resemble those of the birch genus. The genus Spiraea consists … are quite small, they occur in clusters of inflorescence that can be very showy. Spireas are best used in groupings in a shrub or mixed border, where they are valued as tough, reliable and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ( Spiraea × cinerea 'Grefsheim') is one of the earliest blooming spirea and is notable for its refined habit. Its arching branches are covered in small white flowers in the spring. It … are quite small, they occur in clusters of inflorescence that can be very showy. Spiraeas are best used in groupings in a shrub or mixed border, where they are valued as tough, reliable and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… size over the summer resulting in massive flowers that can be harvested and dried - or left in place to supply songbirds with food. This is no shy ankle-bitter that has to be moved to the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… a maximum of two simultaneous programs per time slot). Workshops include an indoor lunch space for your group after the workshop. Field trip workshops must be booked a minimum of three weeks … figure out why. NGSS: K-ESS2-2, 1-LS1-1, 2-LS2-1 Grades 2 – 4: Flower Lab What is the reason for a flower, and how does it do its job? Become scientists, doing a guided flower dissection on a real flower to look for patterns in form and function that reveal what the different parts do. NGSS: 2-LS2-2; …
Type: Item Detail
… at ground level under brush or other protective covering. They usually leave their nests only for short times, following well-defined routes as they forage for food. Voles do not hibernate and are active all winter, often tunneling through snow to reach … or shrub. Treatment & Solutions Removing the habitat voles seek for nesting and feeding is the best control. Weeds, dense ground cover, brush, low spreading evergreens or even thick mulch can …
Type: Plant Info
… May on record at Chicago O’Hare (9.51 inches) and Midway (7.65 inches) airport stations. For three consecutive years now, the O’Hare station has broken total precipitation records for the month of May. A 1-inch rainfall on an acre produces about 27,000 gallons of water and it … and suburbs continue to develop and build structures and roads, there is less permeable space for water to enter the ground and, as a result, there is more flooding in many areas. Allowing …
Type: Plant Info
… with its shorter days and cooler nighttime temperatures, it may be the busiest of months for many gardeners. Vegetable gardeners have their hands full—literally and … amend it properly to provide the nutrients it needs. Collect soil samples on a dry day. It’s best to test turf soil and garden soil separately. Refrain from adding synthetic fertilizers or … winter. Bring plants inside before nighttime temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Place containers in a cool area. Allow the plants to go dormant by watering minimally to keep …
Type: Plant Info
… reason hot peppers are popular in hot climates. In northern climates, peppers tend to be bred for mildness and eaten green—perhaps partly because the growing season is too short and cool to … of weeks longer, for ripening to the more tender, flavorful (and often hotter) red stage. Your best bet in the Chicago area is a pepper variety that will ripen from transplanting to the stage … of the same soil-borne diseases, so it's important not to plant any of these crops in the same place and the same soil year after year. Rotate them every second or third year into a spot where …
Type: Plant Info
… And so, our love story began ❤. The hibiscus dazzled my family by blooming profusely for many years, indoors during the cold months and outdoors on the patio in the summer. Then, one … the garden. The only thing I could think to do was to plant it in the ground, and hope for the best. Weeks went by and nothing happened. But I kept watering it. I talked to it almost every … Van Deraa’s 20-year relationship with a feisty hibiscus and how they each brought out the best in one another. Tell us your plant story Have you ever thought a plant was done for, only …
Type: Blog
… fall, giving the tree an appearance of a rainbow. The narrow habit of this tree makes it ideal for small gardens. Members of the genus Amelanchier offer four seasons of interest -- small white … attractive foliage color in fall and interesting bark/branch structure in winter. Common names for amelanchier include juneberry and serviceberry and refer to the blueberry-like fruit edible … usually multi-stemmed. Found at woodland's edge in the their native habitats, amelanchiers are best used in a naturalistic setting in the home landscape. Amelanchiers are native to temperate …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
