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  • … Training plants is a garden art form. At its most ornamental and intricate, the art of training plants becomes … with semitropical shrubs grown either as standards or as tightly pruned topiaries. A standard is a plant trained to a single trunk or stem with a distinct shape created by its leaves and … shapes, diamond patterns, and other designs are possible, depending on how the developing tree is trained and pruned. The challenge is to allow the tree to flower and produce lush foliage and …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … flavors or colors. Hold the Caffeine All commercial tea, such as black, green, and oolong, is made from Camellia sinensis , which is an evergreen bush that is native to Asia and not hardy in Illinois. Caffeine occurs naturally in this plant. Unlike …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Description:  This is a rare gull species most often seen on lakes during spring melt periods. …
    Type: Birding
  • … Description:  An unusual sight on the lakes or flying over, this is not a diving duck. …
    Type: Birding
  • … Description:  This is a rare grassland sparrow seen mostly on migration when found at the Garden. …
    Type: Birding
  • … Description: A close relative of the chickadee, this southern species is rarely spotted at the Garden. …
    Type: Birding
  • … Sun Spot Wintercreeper is a prostrate to mound-forming evergreen with thin leatherlike glossy green leaves. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … This evergreen tree needs full sun and moderate moisture conditions. It is a specimen in a hedge. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … What is a weed? Essentially, it’s a plant that’s growing where you don’t want it to be. Weeds are … arrow-shaped leaf and search for the first tendrils at ground level while weeding. If the weed is already established, pull and clip the plant repeatedly to exhaust its roots. Our plant … or at least choose plants that like their feet wet. Maybe that low place in the lawn is a good site for a river birch. Weeds that can indicate poorly draining soil, such as clay, include …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … consider when choosing shrubs for our home landscape A: The saying “right plant…right place” is essential to keep in mind when selecting shrubs. Many shrub problems can be traced back to choices made years before. Moreover, early planning is especially desirable now, due to high demand and supply disruptions arising from the COVID-19 … considerations involve matching a shrub’s specific physical needs to its intended site. Among these are the available space, soil type, soil chemistry, soil moisture, hours of …
    Type: Plant Info