… Winter is actually the best time of year to prune your deciduous plants. Wait for a relatively mild, … since they never become fully dormant and may suffer tip burn if pruned in the winter. It is much easier to prune a plant without its leaves since you can easily see its branching structure. Also, in winter there is less chance of transmitting diseases from one plant to another or attracting insects to fresh …
Type: Plant Info
… “In the woods where the snow is thick, bars of sunlight lay like pale fire.” — Katherine Mansfield, The Journal of Katherine … to distract me in the garden—dragonflies, bluejays, coneflowers, bumblebees, and weeds—winter is a time to redirect my observations and reflect on nature, especially trees. And, when the snow … native to Illinois) and more than 1,000 individual oaks. One feature that stands out in winter is an oak tree’s corky bark, which serves to insulate the tree from freezing temperatures and …
Type: Plant Info
… To every perennial there is a season — often fleeting. Remember the peonies? Gone in one glorious week. Yet some … and they'll come back with a whole new burst of flowers later in the summer. "Deadheading" is the practice of removing an individual flower that has started to turn brown or shrivel. The goal is to prevent the flower from turning into seeds. Once that plant has created seeds, it figures …
Type: Plant Info
… Talk around the Garden is all about orchids this month, with the opening of our Orchid Show. Among the many interesting orchid conversations, there is one question that gets asked repeatedly by gardeners of all skill levels: "How do I repot my orchid?" Luckily, the answer for most orchids is, "It's easy." Orchids should be repotted when new; every year or two; or when crowded roots …
Type: Plant Info
… Description: This breeding species is seen broadly, but most often in the McDonald Woods. …
Type: Birding
… Description: This is an infrequent visiting western species with similarities to the common goldeneye. …
Type: Birding
… Description: This is a fish-eating duck that can be found diving in Garden lakes. …
Type: Birding
… Description: This rare shorebird is often visible on mudflats south of the Dixon Prairie. …
Type: Birding
… Description: This rare southern visitor is most likely to be seen in McDonald Woods. …
Type: Birding
… Description: This rather rare southern visitor is most likely found in the McDonald Woods. …
Type: Birding
