… its harsh croak when it takes off from a marsh. It was this bird’s beauty that nearly led to its demise at the turn of the twentieth century, when these and other waders were hunted for … its motionless legs likely looking like branches to a fish, which will come closer, and then get snatched up by the hungry wader. The bird swallows the prey head first, sometimes having to … is doing well in Illinois; however, habitat loss and water pollution may threaten its future. Visit Baker’s Lake in Barrington to watch the great egret during breeding season and McGinnis …
Type: Blog
… Zelkova serrata ‘Village Green’ is a medium to large deciduous tree, typically growing to 50-80 feet tall with a spreading, generally upward-branching, vase-shaped crown. It is noted for its graceful shape, clean foliage, attractive bark and resistance to Dutch elm disease. … Insignificant small green flowers appear in spring as the foliage emerges. Flowers give way to small, non-showy, ovate, wingless drupes that ripen in autumn. Oblong-elliptic dark green …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… and you can see why this Dyckia is named Grape Jelly. You can also see why the common name for Dyckias is the sawblade plant. Dyckias are survivors. They're native to arid, rocky terrain high in the mountains of Brazil, so they're very drought tolerant, and … Dyckias need sandy or rocky fast draining soil. Though they'll tolerate some shade, color's best in full sun. During the spring growing season they need more frequent watering, but keep …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… pink snapdragons upright throughout the growing season. Cut back spent flowering stems to encourage a second flush of flowers. Flowers best in full sun locations in moderately moist, well-drained soils. Pollinators of all types are attracted to the flowers. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… including her great-grandmother Vivian. A word of caution: It has taken me many years to develop a relationship with these plants to correctly identify and respectfully harvest and … For farmers and gardeners, maple tapping is one of the first signs that spring is on its way. It is time to tap the maples when you hear the woodpeckers, the symphony of the chorus … for your mshkeke. The act of growing and caring for plants is mshkeke. I find that some of the best conversations, problem solving, and idea creating is done in the garden. Take a walk through …
Type: Blog
… Correvon’ is clothed in claret-red flowers with contrasting cream stamens from ground level up to 13 feet in height. The stems die back each winter to 1 to 2 feet above soil level in the Chicago area. It thrives in sunny locations with moist, … the stems to rot at ground level. The below-ground buds begin growth when the existing stems get attacked. Clematis like their roots in the shade and their heads in the sun. To accommodate …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The Dune Willow Wading through frigid flood waters with a GPS unit, David Johannesen searched for the 12 remaining dune willows ( Salix syrticola ) at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL. … program , aimed his camera at the fallout—dune willows almost fully submerged, others tethered to sand by just a few roots. “A lot of rare plant monitoring is just monitoring, and sometimes … dune willows and individual plants having only male or female flowers, the team needed to get creative to help them reproduce. Planting around the surviving dune willows, they established …
Type: Blog
… As summer draws to a close, many gardeners are turning their attention from essential summertime maintenance — … and scouting — to end-of-the-season projects that can add beauty to their home landscapes for many seasons to come. Gardening Alchemy A wealth of basic ingredients makes late summer the … composting is having less landscape debris transported to landfills, making composting an easy way to green your gardening practices. Dig and Divide Late summer into early fall is a good time …
Type: Plant Info
… Your herbs are flourishing, but you know the first frost is about to hit. How can you bank up herbal flavor and save it to enjoy all winter long? One popular and simple method for preserving herbs is to infuse them into vinegars — a simple way to keep herbs at their summer's peak of flavor. A few dashes of herbal vinaigrette can liven …
Type: Plant Info
… The secret is out; visitors to the Chicago Botanic Garden have unprecedented access to plant information, guides, and tours … keeps the wheels turning? The ability to access this information in real time during a Garden visit is what makes the app so special, according to Boyce Tankersley , the Garden’s director of … “We have a large campus and much to see,” said Van Deraa, who uses the app herself. “I just get a thrill every time I want to find a plant,” she said. “There was an iris I wanted to see in …
Type: Blog
