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  • … Bear's foot or stinking hellebore is native to central and eastern Europe. Hellebores are prized for their flowers which appear in … Wester Flisk hellebore grows into a low mound about 2 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. The foliage is dark green with finger-like clusters of up to ten serrated leaves which are evergreen … in dark red. Hellebores prefer cool moist soils but are very adaptable requiring only that the site be well-drained. Typically they are planted in woodland settings under deciduous trees where …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … The seeds disperse in fall and sound like a rattle when hit by the wind. The eye of the bulb is surrounded by an octopus-like array of roots and should be planted just below the soil … placement of a couple of stones around the base (to bear the weight of the gardener's shoe) is a good idea. This stunning specimen plant is a native of central Asia where snow melt provides moisture early in the year. It bursts into …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … the color may fade to white. This large (22 inches tall by 36 inches wide), vigorous hosta is considered a classic and is widely used. Pink-lavender flowers appear in July and August and are attractive to … They all prefer moist, loamy soil enriched with organic matter. Some leaf damage by slugs is to be expected, and deer find hosta delicious. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … States in 2011. Currently, it has been identified in 18 states, primarily in the east. It is being managed at a state level, with various states having different regulations. Some states … Bugwood.org Now that boxwood blight has been found in Illinois, and because boxwood is such a common landscape planting, we should all have a good understanding of this new pathogen. There is no need to panic, but if you have boxwoods, you should monitor them this growing season. …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … the native Potawatomi as ashosikwimia'kuk, which means "smells like muskrat scent," Echinacea is a quintessential midwestern native that dots prairies from Illinois to Virginia, and Louisiana to Georgia. This late-summer bloom is not only a popular choice of midwestern gardeners, but it's also a pollinator favorite, and a … full sun and well-drained soil. In an open, dry, sunny spot that needs to be filled in, it is a great choice. Hardy from USDA Zones 3 through 9, this perennial can grow up to 5 feet tall …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … thriving. If he sees yellow nutsedge, he knows to check for poorly draining soil. The nutsedge is an indicator weed, whose presence can indicate a condition that might be a problem for your … the weed right at home. If you can change the conditions, or choose an ornamental plant that is more suited to them,  the weeds will have a harder time competing. Like those violets — … 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
  • … Description:  This small- to medium-sized shorebird is seen most often on shorelines or mudflats around the Dixon Prairie. …
    Type: Birding
  • … Description: This rare visitor to the lakes is a dark bird. Its pink bill has a white area at the base. …
    Type: Birding
  • … Description: This large black-and-white diving duck is often seen on the lakes in winter and early spring. …
    Type: Birding
  • … Description:  This is a rare black-backed gull species most likely seen on the lake ice in spring or winter. …
    Type: Birding