… carpenter bees have a shiny, hairless abdomen.) It is a deciduous shrub that can grow to a height of 6 feet with arching branches. The plants have narrowly ovate leaves, often with a … In the South, this native of China and Japan is a woody shrub; however, in Illinois, it is best to treat it as a perennial as it may die back during winter. It blooms from July through …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… the new petals unfold. The flowers are large and used in exhibitions. This cultivar was named "Best New Introduction" in the 65th Annual National Chrysanthemum Society show. To make flowers larger, growers will remove the smaller buds so all the plant's energy goes into the remaining buds. The result is a plant with only three to five stems, each topped with a very large flower. This type of chrysanthemum is not reliably …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Red Charm peony ( Paeonia ‘Red Charm’) grows up to 2.5 feet high and is covered with deep-red, ruffled, double flowers from the end of May … hybridized this cultivar near the end of World War II (1944), and the peony went on to win an award from the American Peony Society in 1956. 'Red Charm' is still described as one of the best of the deep-red flowered peonies. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… seedlings during Herb Garden Weekend, and the rest of the month as well. Perhaps it’s time to rethink tarragon and the diverse palette of herbs available to modern cooks. The late author … and surprising answers. Italian basil—and other basil cultivars and species—find their way into the cuisine of many nations. “Wilson! I’m sorry!” Basil, it turns out, not only tastes … volatile oils have antibacterial properties that could come in handy,” says Tankersley, “if I get injured and need to dress a wound.” The savory herb also wins a vote from Lisa Hilgenberg, …
Type: Blog
… rosy lilac flowers packed together in large flat topped flowerheads. With age, the color fades to a pink lilac. The stems stand 24 “tall with gray green fernlike foliage. It does best in full sun and blooms from early summer to early fall. It is attractive to buttterflies, bees and hummingbirds while resistant to deer, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… in fall than in spring, when they compete with grass seedlings. Fall is also a good time to assess your lawn. Before you do anything, ask why your lawn is not doing well. Do you have … by the roots, destroying much of the lawn in the process. Core aeration is a much better way to deal with excessive thatch. Lawns should be aerated once a year except during hot, dry … This makes them vulnerable to herbicides. As with most chemical controls, herbicides are best used selectively, by spot spraying individual weeds, rather than treating an entire lawn. …
Type: Plant Info
… in early July, while conducting routine pollinator assessments with my Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) student Jenny, we noticed something unusual: a bumblebee with a bright … bumblebee was once a common sight across the eastern United States, ranging from Minnesota to Massachusetts. Like all bumblebees, it is a superb pollinator of some of our favorite foods … actionable advice to Chicago area residents and industry leaders about which garden plants best support local biodiversity. As we neared the end of data collection that day, we were both …
Type: Blog
… Germander meadowsweet is also known as elm-leaved spirea due to the shape of its leaves. The genus Spiraea consists of small to medium sized flowering shrubs with a fine-textured twiggy mounding habit. The small simple … are quite small, they occur in clusters of inflorescence that can be very showy. Spireas are best used in groupings in a shrub or mixed border, where they are valued as tough, reliable and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Asian native spirea produces flat-topped clusters of white flowers; fall foliage color tends to be shades of yellow. The genus Spiraea consists of small to medium sized flowering shrubs with a fine-textured twiggy mounding habit. The small simple … are quite small, they occur in clusters of inflorescence that can be very showy. Spireas are best used in groupings in a shrub or mixed border, where they are valued as tough, reliable and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Asian native spirea produces flat-topped clusters of white flowers; fall foliage color tends to be shades of yellow. The genus Spiraea consists of small to medium sized flowering shrubs with a fine-textured twiggy mounding habit. The small simple … are quite small, they occur in clusters of inflorescence that can be very showy. Spireas are best used in groupings in a shrub or mixed border, where they are valued as tough, reliable and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
