… Spike gayfeather or marsh blazing star ( Liatris spicata ) is becoming more popular with gardeners for perennial, meadow, and prairie gardens. The … than the opposite, as with most spike plants. The rounded clump of rich, dark-green foliage is grassy-looking at the base of the flower spikes; the spikes have smaller leaves all the way up to the tip. Floristan violet is a consistent rich orchid color. Use it as an accent in the formal garden, or plant it in wet …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Heuchera richardsonii var. grayana or Prairie Alumroot, is native to the Midwest; found in Illinois, Missouri and the adjacent states. It is a variety of the species that was described and named in 1933 in honor of Dr. Asa Gray, who … first discovered the variant. It differs in a few small measurable ways from the species, and is currently considered to be the same as the species. The flowers are a bit smaller, more …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ruffled petals surround a deep red 'eye' at the center of the flower, This deciduous shrub is adapted to full sun, dry soils and tolerant of air pollution. It is one of a number of cultivars released by the United States National Arboretum combining the … supply of flowers throughout the summer and early fall with little or no seed production. It is hardy in zones 5 – 9. When the species was named syriacus, it was thought to have originated …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Hydrangea macrophylla is a deciduous shrub that grows 3-6’ tall and wide. It features dark green leaves and large … flowers which are either lace cap or mophead in structure. ‘Gilded Lace’, which grows 5’ tall, is a lace cap with light blue flowers and striking gold mottling on the leaves. Flower color is … is hardy to zones 6-9 and will not survive Chicago’s harsh winters unless given a sheltered site, winter mulch and a burlap wrap. Plant in moist soil in part shade; attractive when massed …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ‘Little Lamb’ is a compact shrub with a mounding habit that stands 6 to 8 ft tall and 4 to 6 ft. wide. It has … mature. The blooms will continue into September. It does well in full sun to light shade and is moderately drought - tolerant. The color of the flowers is not affected by the pH of the soil. It blooms on new wood so the flowers are not susceptible …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Iris 'Batik' is a border bearded iris that is a little shorter than tall bearded irises. The royal-purple flowers each have their own wildly … each with multiple buds that open in late spring to early summer. It has no fragrance but is attractive to butterflies and makes an excellent cut flower. Batik was awarded Honorable …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Large fothergilla ( Fothergilla major ), which is native to the Allegheny Mountains, grows into a rounded or upright shrub 4 to 6 feet tall. Because it is multistemmed with closely borne oval leaves, it has a dense appearance. White and yellowish flowers look like small bottlebrushes and have no petals (the showy portion is the spiky male stamens). This plant blooms from April to mid-May with a honey scent. It …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Echinacea pallida is one of two species of coneflower native to Illinois. It is recognized by the narrow, drooping rosy pink, lavender or orchid flower petals surrounding a … plant. The flowers grow singly at the top of a fuzzy flower stalk two to three feet tall. It is native through much of eastern and central North America, but is uncommon due to the loss of …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… consider constructing a raised bed outlined with durable, untreated lumber. The boxed bed is then filled with a perfect, lightweight mix of topsoil, compost, and leaf mold. Other … veggies and herbs can use this same mix for their pots. Any gardener who suspects the soil is contaminated should have a soil test taken prior to growing edible plants. This is best done when the soil temperature is above 50 degrees. …
Type: Plant Info
… The Manchurian Maple is native to China. Its foliage is a little different from most maples; it is a compound leaf comprised of three leaflets with toothed margins. In the fall, the foliage …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
