… There is still much to admire as the garden reveals its late-season secrets! I have some gardening … are guaranteed to rekindle your passion for perennials. Aconitum carmichaelii (monkshood) is a purple-blue-flowering, 5-foot, statuesque plant that will bring drama and color to the late-autumn garden. Bright green divided foliage is another attraction of this stately perennial. Agastache barberi (anise hyssop) is a very …
Type: Plant Info
… At the top of the list of why we garden is for the joy it brings. Yes, there is the effort of physical labor, and true, some plants succumb and we don't know why. But most … spot might accommodate rhododendrons, azaleas or other marginal plants requiring a special site. Examine your soil carefully. This is especially true for new homes, where much of the good …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. Is there anything I can do now to prepare my turf for the winter? A.Fall is a good time to improve the health of your lawn and prepare it for winter. There are a number … they exhibited any type of leaf spot or disease. Mow turf to the normal mowing height, which is typically 2 to 3 inches. Core aerate to reduce soil compaction. Apply a winter fertilizer. The …
Type: Plant Info
… Hydrangea macrophylla is a deciduous shrub that grows 3-6’ tall and wide. It features dark green leaves and large … bloom from May through June on old wood and on new wood from July to October. Flower color is dependent on the soil in which the hydrangea is planted – blue in acidic soils and rose-pink … the winter. Although the plant is hardy to Chicago’s Zone 5, it benefits from a sheltered site, winter mulch and burlap wrap to protect the buds and stems from dying to the ground during …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This plant is a Narcissus , named for a beautiful young hunter in Greek mythology who fell in love with his reflection. It is a spring-flowering bulb, and when flowering is over, you can see the strappy green leaves that provide nutrients for next year's flowers. Las …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… moisture and can support a range of fauna including insects and frogs. Good quality light is necessary to develop and maintain leaf colors. Since this plant is epiphytic it is essential that it be grown in freely draining soil. This plant is not hardy in Chicago but can …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… moisture and can support a range of fauna including insects and frogs. Good quality light is necessary to develop and maintain leaf colors. Since this plant is epiphytic, it is essential that it be grown in freely draining soil. This plant is not hardy in Chicago but can …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Glade mallow is an uncommon and valued native species found in the wild along river banks and open areas with … moist soil. Considering that it grows to over six feet tall and stands out in the garden, it is odd that every year people wonder what it is. It is native only in scattered counties in the Midwest, east to Vermont and Pennsylvania. It …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Spotted beebalm is a plant native to eastern North America, where it is found on the sandy edges of rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways. Its name refers to the … debris to prevent these diseases from harboring in the soil over the winter. As a native it is attractive to pollinators and generally repels deer. It is suitable for border plantings in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Scarlet O'Hara is a cultivar of our native deciduous winterberry hollies. In the wild they are found in swampy sites and stream margins in the eastern US. Scarlett O'Hara is a slow grower to about 6-8 feet high and 6-8 feet wide. After the dark green leaves have … on the stems throughout winter, and are a food source for birds in the colder months. It is a female cultivar and requires a male pollinator nearby (within 50 feet) for berry production. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
