… Grape hyacinth ( Muscari armeniacum ) is a tried-and-true mainstay of the early spring garden, producing spikes of deep-blue flowers … accented with white markings around the petticoat or base of the individual flowers. This is the plant the Dutch use in their gardens to create rivers of blue in their landscape designs. Despite the tendency for the foliage to come into growth in fall, this plant is reliably hardy in the Chicago region. The bulbs slowly create clumps by producing "daughter" …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ is in Division 2. It blooms in early to mid season with 3 ¾ inch flowers that open yellow and become white with age. The corona is very broad and shallow with a frilled mouth. The petals may be slightly reflexed. This early hybrid (pre-1953) is rare in having a double set of chromosomes; most cultivars are genetically unique, with only …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… shelter for a range of insects, small mammals and birds, even bison. Cape Breeze switch grass is a compact upright grass of about three feet in height and about two feet in width. Spring foliage is a bluish-green and in late summer the yellowish seed heads are held gracefully. Like most switch grasses, Cape Breeze is extremely versatile and can cope with a range of soil types from sandy to clay and shade …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This white form of Lebanon striped squill is classed as a minor bulb because of its size, but it is a major asset to a well-rounded bulb garden. Tucked between tulips and narcissus, it covers … squills in the genus Scilla. Each stiffly upright spike can have up to about 20 flowers. It is very long-lived and not bothered much by squirrels or chipmunks. The only problem with this …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… growing in the lawn are difficult perennial weeds to eradicate. At the present time, there is no effective chemical treatment that can be applied by homeowners. Only professional licensed … turf specialists are able to purchase broad-leaved herbicides to control violets. Hand pulling is a tedious but effective option, providing that the entire root system is removed. …
Type: Plant Info
… This maple is very similar to Acer japonicum and is also known commonly as the full moon maple. It can reach a height of 12 feet with a spread of … yellow to burnt orange, sometimes with orange, salmon and chartreuse highlights. Fall color is can vary from shades of gold to red. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… that sit atop 24-inch stems. It prefers well-drained, loamy soil in full sun. Summer Beauty is a butterfly and honeybee magnet. Summer Beauty ornamental globe onion is sometimes referred to in the literature as Summer Beauty lavender globe lily—but it is not a lily at all. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The silver maple is native to eastern North America. It can reach a height of 80 feet with a spread of 50 feet. This tree requires full sun, but is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and conditions. It gets its name from the silvery undersides of its five lobed leaves. Fall color is not uniform with this species; it may be a very ordinary yellow or a very bright orange …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Snowdrop anemone is a hardy, low-growing perennial, native to Europe, which blooms prolifically with delicate, 5-petaled, white flowers. Tolerant of shade, it is best grown in masses among trees and shrubs. The best show of flowers is in April, but it continues blooming sporadically until summer's heat, when it puts out a few …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ( Coreopsis verticillata 'Golden Shower') grows up to 24 inches tall by 18 inches wide and is known for its bright golden-yellow flowers, interspersed with fine, thread-like foliage. Full sun and well-drained soil are preferred by coreopsis. This cultivar is more drought tolerant than most of the other species (all of which are native to North America). It is deer resistant and attracts butterflies. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
