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  • … Globemaster is an upright bulb that grows to a maximum height of 30 inches. It requires full sun and … lastig globes of 6- to 10-inch lavender blooms that attract butterflies. This ornamental onion is resistant to deer and can be used in a border. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Native to the eastern and midwestern United States, loose-headed bracted sedge is a perennial plant that grows 12 to 40 inches tall and is commonly found in forested areas and wetlands in the wild. The sacs holding the seeds are …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Sugar Shack™ buttonbush is a compact form of buttonbush growing to only about 4 feet high and wide. It requires consistently moist soils so is useful in wet areas. From early summer, it bears fragrant, white, rounded button-type flowers …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … mound 6 to 8 feet tall featuring gracefully drooping finely textured branches. The foliage is gray-green accented by white on the inside. It is easily grown in average to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Use …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … These are the main areas of focus for both homeowners and professionals: careful study of the site; choosing the appropriate tree for that site; preparing the site; and planting the tree correctly. Proper tree maintenance is, of course, an integral part of long-term tree health, but more potentially damaging problems … they've got. If test results recommend amending with organic matter (3 percent organic matter is considered good), the ideal time is  before  the tree is planted. The entire planting  area …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … in the ground. Vines require very little lateral room at planting time since their growth is mostly up and outward. They can work their way into tight spots before breaking loose on a … to cement, brick, wood and even metal. In the case of climbing hydrangea, rootlet strength is such that homeowners in brick homes who value their tuckpointing are advised to weigh the … Chicago Area Perennial Vine Recommendations Boston ivy ( Parthenocissus tricuspidata ) This is a New England classic with shapely green leaves that blaze scarlet in autumn sun. As …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … What is it about red? The red leaves of Full Moon maple (Acer Japonicum) herald the changing of … flower in a sea of goldenrod. And when the woods take on a golden glow, the flame of red is what makes an autumn spectacular. Trees and shrubs whose leaves turn red are the secret divas … But as nights turn cool, they drop the bashful act and step to center stage. —Fall color is not something trees put on, says Andrew Bell, curator of woody plants. It's something they …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … In Northern and Midwestern gardens, much emphasis is placed on four-season gardens, with great praise showered on those plants that provide interest when it is least expected. Think of the shrubs that flower not in spring but in late summer, bulbs that … gardens structure and quiet beauty every day of the year — the conifers. Among the conifers is a strong spruce, the Serbian spruce,  Picea omorika . This is a versatile tree, able to stand …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Susceptible Plants Lawn grasses Description & Symptoms The annual white grub is the most common grub that causes lawn damage in Illinois. The large C-shaped, creamy white grub with three pairs of legs and a dark head is the larval stage of the masked chafer beetle. Unlike the Japanese beetle, which has a similar … they chew on grass roots. Grubs are especially prevalent in sunny lawns near pavements. Damage is most severe from August to early fall. In dry summers, heavily irrigated lawns may suffer more …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Q.  Is there anything that I can do to prepare my trees and shrubs for winter? A. The best thing that can be done to prepare your plants for winter is to make sure they enter the cold winter months with plenty of moisture.  It is easy and quite common to forget about woody plant maintenance as we clean up spent annuals and …
    Type: Plant Info