… As the days get shorter, you might be looking for off-the-beaten paths where you can soak up the rest of the season. I’ve got just the place … Garden’s southeast side, just north of Dundee Road, the Reserve is relatively unknown, even to longtime visitors. As an assistant ecologist, I’m in the Reserve a lot, and often by myself. … I’m always puzzled that so few people have discovered it. Here are just a few reasons to visit: The color purple—and more The fall colors are amazing—purple asters, yellow goldenrods, …
Type: Blog
… the longest days of the year. As trees branch out, flowers bloom, and vegetables grow, June’s to-do list will transition from planting to maintenance tasks that encourage a healthy garden and … keep weeds under control, regulate soil temperature, and retain moisture. Continue monitoring for insect damage Regularly inspect for infestations on plants. Small insect populations can be … approximately 1 inch of water per week to keep grass green and actively growing. It is best to water early in the day, which allows grass to dry out and lessens the possibility of turf …
Type: Plant Info
… and they generously share their stock (sometimes) with friends. But most of all, they love to discover new ones. Gaura lindheimeri is a relative newcomer to Chicago-area perennial … Texas and Louisiana and planted widely on the West Coast, it might seem an unlikely candidate for Midwest gardens. But those who grow the white 'Whirling Butterflies', bright pink 'Siskiyou … It is also tolerant of humidity and has no known insect or disease problems. Perhaps best of all, it blooms for a long time, from early summer to autumn, especially if the entire …
Type: Plant Info
… chemicals that can leach onto nearby pavers and sidewalks. Rubber “mulch” might be good for playgrounds under swings and slides, but it’s not helpful for perennials, trees, or shrubs. … the year. Many traditional plantings have unfilled niches and open soil, allowing sunlight to directly reach the ground. Any bare soil is a welcome mat for seeds—just look at any empty lot … it can soften the bark and cause rot. Don’t pile it on! Do the Mulch Math “Plants are the best mulch,” says landscape designer Claudia West, who recently spoke at the Garden. “Filling the …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. When is the best time to harvest sweet corn and how do I do it? A. Sweet corn ears should be picked during the milk … and corn kernels that are full at the tips. As harvest time nears, check the corn frequently to ensure you do not miss the milk stage. When the ears are ready, snap them off by hand with a …
Type: Plant Info
… The flowers are gone, the trees are bare, now what to photograph? Birds, of course! Winter is a great time to get some fabulous shots of winter … to name a few. Plus, winter has the bonus of birds that actually migrate to our area just for the winter. Some migrants you will see every year are juncos, tree sparrows, and a variety of … what you will find on any given day. That is why I go out every chance I get! Before your next visit check out our list of birds that you can expect to see at the Garden each season. A …
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 … usually faces up. When the bloom rotates, the lip faces down and provides a landing platform for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The rotation also exposes the lip to more sunlight, … “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
… tombstone in Cumberland, England "While life lasts." This can be a very brief moment in time for a spring ephemeral. In that narrow window of time between thawing ground and the leafing out … woodland wildflowers that emerge, then quickly go dormant—live their lives. If you want to see some of the spring woodland flowers in bloom, you often have to be there on the day they … pollinators associated with them, they usually have several different pollinators that can visit, including other native bees and many species of flies. Besides being important sources of …
Type: Plant Info
… What is a weed? Essentially, it’s a plant that’s growing where you don’t want it to be. Weeds are opportunistic, springing up where there’s a void in the landscape, where the … of the fruits they’ve eaten. Weed ruthlessly in spring and early summer, rather than waiting for weeds to grow—they’ll be easier to remove, less likely to have spread, and won’t use up the … those who forget to wear gloves and goggles while removing it. Like all weeds, buckthorn is best removed when small. Dig the plant up entirely. Not sure if that sapling is a buckthorn? …
Type: Plant Info
… Admit it: you're always drawn to them. It's their height…their interesting contrast…those smoky good looks. This month in Smart … that can be hard to achieve with green-foliaged plants. Tall, dark plants become a backdrop for everything else in the garden: their purple-to-black foliage makes chartreuse plants pop, … for tall plants, they need not be relegated to a line-up against the wall. On your next summer visit, keep an eye out for the many different ways that horticulturists are using tall, dark …
Type: Plant Info
