… Q: I am storing summer bulbs for the first time — is there anything I need to do for them during the winter? A: Bulbs, tubers, and corms need some attention during the … this month for dryness and signs of decay. Shriveling indicates that the relative humidity in the storage area is too low. If bulbs are shriveled and packing media is very dry, dampen the …
Type: Plant Info
… soft lilac-blue flowered, short-lived perennial for Chicago-area gardens that flowers in early spring. The dozens of florets clustered around the central flower stalk are all wonderfully fragrant. A … Dutch flower breeder J.W.A. Lefeber. Plants survive outdoors in the Chicago area for four to five seasons, with the flowers in years two through five less densely packed on the flower …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… foliage that makes a perfect backdrop for its bright blue flowers. This cultivar grows to 30 inches in height and up to 3 feet in diameter. Catmint tolerates bright, sunny, and dry conditions once the root system is established. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds, and house cats …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… A sport of 'Gipsy Queen', this cultivar was released in 1988. The flowers are a soft, buttery yellow. The dozens of florets clustered around the … for forcing indoors for winter bloom, hyacinths survive outdoors in the Chicago area for four to five seasons. However, the flowers in years two through five are less densely packed on the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Native to northeastern Greece, northern and northeastern Turkey, and Georgia, Lenten rose ( Helleborus orientalis ) is quite at home in Chicago's chilly spring. It blooms for six to eight weeks, beginning in mid-February when snow is often still on the ground. Lenten roses grow to 18 inches tall, bearing cup-shaped, 2-inch, rose-like flowers, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Tiffany hybrid tea rose grows to 4 feet high by 3 feet wide and is famous for the long stems topped by phlox-pink flowers with … As a group, hybrid teas are known for producing long, elegantly pointed flower buds and, in the case of 'Tiffany', sweetly scented flowers. Unfortunately, this rose cultivar is …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Pure white double flowers with a greenish tint to the eye are 1.5 to 2.5 inches in width and produced n long sturdy stems suitable for cutting for flower arrangements. Plant …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… what garden tasks are appropriate. Hold off on doing any detailed cleanup of garden beds as the mulch and leaves in the beds will provide some protection to any early growing perennials when the weather eventually turns cold again. Raking leaves off … flower bud at the ends of the stem. The dormant season, and in particular late winter, is the best time of year to complete rejuvenation pruning, which is the aggressive pruning of overgrown …
Type: Blog
… Why is iris tectorum called "roof iris"? This Chinese native was was first observed in the late 1800's in Japan, where a Russian scientist found it growing in the thatched roofs of … The Japanese farmers weren't growing it for the flowers but for the roots, which were ground to a white powder that geisha girls used for their traditional make-up. Unlike most iris, this …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Elegans sets the benchmark for large, blue-green-leaved hostas. Introduced in 1905, it is noted for the size, texture, and substance of its foliage. Considered a slow grower, Elegans may take several years to reach its mature size of 3 feet in height with a spread of 4 feet. Its white flowers appear in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
