… 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
… A tall-grass prairie native that adds beauty to gardens and nurtures wildlife, switchgrass is now being considered as a potential new fuel … ethanol" and mentioned switchgrass as a possible source. The most promising cultivars for bioenergy are 'Alamo' in the deep south, 'Kanlow' for mid latitudes, and 'Cave-in-Rock' for … considered an important strategy for reducing atmospheric CO2, and switchgrass is one of the best crops for achieving this "carbon sequestration." When above-ground switchgrass is harvested …
Type: Plant Info
… The creeping cotoneaster is a dwarf shrub that grows to only 12 or 18 inches, but it can spread up to 5 or 6 feet. Where branches touch the ground, they'll take root. The flowers, which are borne … through late fall. The creeping cotoneaster has attractive pink flowers in spring, which give way to striking red fruits that contrast with its glossy green leaves. Autumn brings red foliage, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 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
… the leaves have fallen. The coral embers willow can be grown as a shrub by pruning it close to the ground. Alternatively, it can be allowed to grow into a tree (up to 80’). This willow gets its name from the new growth that is a beautiful red in the winter. It …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… My favorite, sweet black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) , is a native species of moist to wet prairies and woodland edges. Although the flowers are very similar, the familiar common … Also, sweet black-eyed Susan begins blooming when common black-eyed Susan is finishing. By the way, the typical description of a black-eyed Susan’s flower as having yellow petals with a dark … or ray) of an individual flower called a ray or ligulate flower. I know this is hard to get your head around, since the entire heads of many tiny flowers are arranged in a way that …
Type: Blog
… A walk through the Dwarf Conifer Garden is truly a plant lover’s feast for the eyes. It’s difficult to decide where to look next; what new magnificent specimens await behind the bend in the path, … of the year, especially in winter. Download a guide for the Dwarf Conifer Garden before you visit. Considering dwarf conifers for your landscape? Read on or take a class . The American …
Type: Walks
… gets its name from the network of tall black stems that arise bearing white flowers prior to the appearance of any foliage. Members of the genus Baptisia are commonly known as wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the … are followed in the fall by dark pods. Overall habits of the plant are broad-rounded mounds to vase-shaped and range in height from two to five feet. Baptisia are considered easy-to-grow, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 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
