… When ice and snow season arrives, it's important that roads, driveways, and sidewalks are safe to walk and drive on, so life doesn't become more challenging than it already is. While personal safety is the primary concern, many homeowners are adopting snow-management … Read the Label All deicing products have advantages and disadvantages. No matter which product best meets your needs, carefully follow label instructions to make sure it is used effectively at …
Type: Plant Info
… With the Kentucky Derby—and mint julep season—approaching, it's time to consider mint, a fast-growing, almost wonderfully invasive plant. Mint survives Chicago … crack clay pots.) Mint needs at least four hours of sunlight per day, so pick a sunny spot. It is tolerant of most soils and weather conditions—just be sure it gets some water every week to … your flavor There are more than 600 types of mint on the market. Here are a few that work best in the kitchen: Kentucky Colonel spearmint (Mentha spicata ‘Kentucky Colonel’) got its …
Type: Blog
… Watch orchid buds do a 360 Angraecum eburneum , photos courtesy of Johanna Hutchins Want to see a blooming orchid bud do a 360-degree twist? We did. So we put a time-lapse camera on the … orchid looks like in the Tropical Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden —but the rotation is so slow that you won’t be able to see the buds move in real time. We’ll have two comet orchids … “lip” of the orchid is the dark purple-ish part. One good turn deserves another Orchids are best known for this feat, though a few other species also rotate, including tropical pitcher …
Type: Blog
… progresses. The Spiraea japonica species includes the greatest range of cultivars available to the home gardener within the Spiraea genus. They all have a compact mounding habit in sizes ranging from 18" to 5' that makes them useful in borders and smaller spaces. The cultivars also offer foliage … 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
… it originated. The Spiraea japonica species includes the greatest range of cultivars available to the home gardener within the Spiraea genus. They all have a compact mounding habit in sizes ranging from 18" to 5' that makes them useful in borders and smaller spaces. The cultivars also offer foliage … 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
… demographic, and pollination studies on a threatened thistle ( Cirsium pitcheri ) that is being negatively impacted by a biocontrol weevil. I am also interested in developing measures of success and best practices for ex situ plant conservation programs, from collecting genetically diverse seed accessions to minimizing genetic change during storage and increasing likelihood of success of restorations. …
Type: Staff bio
… It’s rare that a plant's cultivar name makes it into everyday conversation—'Peace' comes to mind for roses, or 'Stella d'Oro' for daylilies. But say "'Annabelle'," and everyone knows … can be issues ('Limelight' can top out at 8 feet tall), the news in the panicle category is dwarf stature. Think of Little Lime ™ as a mini 'Limelight'. Topping out at a manageable 3 to … in the sitting area across from the Circle Garden. The oakleaf hydrangeas: H. quercifolia The best of the best in this popular group is Snow Queen ™ . Regal in size at 6 feet tall, with the …
Type: Plant Info
… Welcome to winter, one of the best seasons for gardeners. You have time to plan, prune, and enjoy those … easier to prune because you’ll be able to better see a tree’s branching structure and there is less chance of transmitting diseases from one plant to another. Winter is the perfect time to …
Type: Blog
… Topiaries, whether formal or whimsical, large-scaled or edible, can be a fascinating addition to most garden spaces. A plant familiar to many gardeners because they have either grown it, eaten it, or admired it as a tiny topiary is the versatile herb, rosemary. Rosmarinus officinalis is an evergreen shrub hardy to zone 6. … a wide range of pH and moisture conditions, but it must have excellent drainage. This can be best accomplished when the plant is grown in a clay pot year-round. Clay permits faster …
Type: Plant Info
… we can safely plant tomatoes, peppers, beans, and squash—those heat-loving plants that turn to mush when hit by a spring frost. But you can start a crop of cool-season greens such as … start to germinate when the top inch of soil reaches about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. (This is when an inexpensive soil thermometer comes in handy. Look for one at your local garden center … leaves that may have been harvested and shipped weeks earlier. But, that same amount will buy a hefty seed pack that will produce many plants and many meals. Cultivate Unlike tomatoes and …
Type: Plant Info
