… Stipa , also known as Mexican feather grass, is native to hot dessert areas in the American Southwest and Mexico as well as South America. It … leaves, and sends up feathery panicles that mature from a light, delicate green to blond. This is a grass that moves with the slightest breeze, and a setting sun can turn those panicles into a … with strong structure, such as rudbeckia, achillea, and cone flower. Mexican feather grass is perennial and evergreen in the dessert areas where it’s native, but north of zone 7 it should …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This cultivar is a compact, rounded shrub that can reach a height of 6 feet tall with a similar spread. Pink … Flowers give way to sparse fruits that ripen to blue-black in late summer. Fall foliage is usually a dull red, but may sometimes be shades of burgundy. Viburnum is a versatile genus of multi-stemmed shrubs that are well suited to the home landscape due to …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Q. I've noticed that leaves of my plants look chewed. What is causing this and is there anything I can spray to help my plants ? A. At this time of year, many different types … and their larvae frequently feed on the leaves of plants. Without seeing the culprit, it is difficult to positively identify which insect is causing the damage to your plants. If insects …
Type: Plant Info
… At the end of fall, it is easy for people to think that nature has shut down for the winter—this could not be farther from the truth. This thought is particularly true of people who have walked through the McDonald Woods at the Chicago Botanic … on the woodland floor. Although most of the vegetation does go dormant for the winter, there is still a myriad of life to be found, even though it might be more inconspicuous and less …
Type: Blog
… Description: This goose is a rare visitor on our lakes or feeding on the lawn. It is similar in appearance to the white snow goose but slightly smaller with a shorter bill. …
Type: Birding
… This evergreen tree needs full sun and moderate moisture conditions. It is a specimen in a hedge. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer being updated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Good Earth An elder taught me that mshkeke is the Potawatomi word we use for medicine , but the literal translation is good Earth . There is a family story about how my father and great-grandmother healed me with mshkeke when Western …
Type: Blog
… Description: The male is bright pink! Seeing a pink bird in an evergreen in winter is quite a sight. The crossbill also has white wing bars and a slightly crossed bill, which … crossbills may be feasting. They always seem to be on the fly, so finding them at the Garden is more difficult than finding siskins and redpolls. This rare member of the finch family has a …
Type: Birding
… Q. My turf grass is in serious need of help. I have far too many bare patches and weeds, and the grass looks too thin. What can I do? A. From mid-August to mid-September is a good time to renovate existing turf. Cultivate those bare patches, and overseed with a grass … with a granular 4-1-2 or 3-1-2 mix. Do not use any weed killers at this time. When turf is in a weakened state, it is better to wait before using strong herbicides. Early next spring, …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. My turf grass is in serious need of help. I have far too many bare patches and weeds, and the grass looks too thin. What can I do? A. From mid-August to mid-September is a good time to renovate existing turf. Cultivate those bare patches, and overseed with a grass … with a granular 4-1-2 or 3-1-2 mix. Do not use any weed killers at this time. When turf is in a weakened state, it is better to wait before using strong herbicides. Early next spring, …
Type: Plant Info
