… Q. Will my waterlilies overwinter outdoors? If not, is there anything that I can do to keep them over the winter? A. Your waterlilies' ability to survive the winter outdoors depends on whether the plants are hardy or tropical. Hardy waterlilies rated cold-hardy for Zone 5 will survive winter temperatures in the Chicago area for years, providing the rhizomes …
Type: Plant Info
… Stake tall perennials before they reach 6 inches. Begin to regularly pinch back fall-blooming perennials such as chrysanthemums, asters and tall sedums. Pinch once a week until the middle of July. This promotes stocky growth. Continue to direct the growth of perennial vines on their supports. Climbing roses should be encouraged to develop lateral, flower-bearing canes. Continue to check peonies for botrytis blight or other foliar fungal problems. Peonies that suffered from botrytis or bud …
Type: Plant Info
… Elegant cornelian cherry dogwood was selected as a cultivar for its abundant fruit, which are sweeter than is typical of the species and considered an edible … -- be it flowers, fruit, foliage, and/or bark -- and their range of forms from small trees to suckering shrubs. The dominant display, however, varies among the species. Dogwoods are native to cooler temperate areas of North America and Asia. The genus includes 45-60 species, divided …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… important part of the tall grass prairie providing an important food source and winter shelter for a range of insects, small mammals and birds, even bison. Apache Rose switch grass is an … grasses, Apache Rose is extremely versatile and can cope with a range of soil types from sandy to clay and shade conditions although it prefers full sun. Because of its versatility it can be … value, it is generally retained for its autumn and winter interest. Cut back the foliage to near ground level in late winter. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… by fall it's washed with red-orange. At just 18 inches tall, 'Sunset' is an ideal candidate for the front of the border, where the color show is on full display. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love Weigela , and so do gardeners. For a bush that gives you so much to look at, they're very easy to care for. No particular disease or pest problems. No special soil requirements.No deadheading. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Chrysanthemum is Japanese, She's a fine lady, if you please. She comes to see us once a year, about the time Thanksgiving's here. — Elizabeth Gordon Throughout history, chrysanthemums have been praised for having many uses. Some species can be used medicinally, others are just for display, and some … certain types of chrysanthemum as a symbol of death and mourning, and it's a cultural taboo to provide them as a gift. On the contrary, in America mums make frequent appearances in …
Type: Plant Info
… While sorting through the heady phrases used to describe jasmine's scent, one becomes convinced that this flowering houseplant has no equal: … is cultivated as an indoor plant. Most species of jasmine grown today were originally native to tropical Asia and parts of China. The jasmines that can be grown as houseplants are tropical or subtropical vines or subshrubs grown for their fragrance. While there are over 200 species grown throughout the world, only a few can …
Type: Plant Info
… There is still much to admire as the garden reveals its late-season secrets! I have some gardening friends who think summer starts to slide the minute the Fourth of July parade ends. By the time the August calendar flips over, … gardens — and a few of these tempting late bloomers are guaranteed to rekindle your passion for perennials. Aconitum carmichaelii (monkshood) is a purple-blue-flowering, 5-foot, statuesque …
Type: Plant Info
… The first species in this genus to be discovered, it produces large, fragrant, showy white or orchid colored flowers during Chicago winters. For gardeners of a certain age, this was the favorite flower for high school dates. Difficult but not impossible to be grown by homeowners, the following approach has produced repeat bloom. Once temperatures in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… I am sure that most of you know what I am referring to when I say “leap year.” “Lep Year”—“lep” being short for Lepidoptera (from the Latin “scaly … their prey by homing in on the scent of their droppings. Interested in finding out more? Visit the Moth Photographers Group at mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu or BugGuide at … plant leaves, I generally leave them alone until they have had their fill and work their way down into the soil where they pupate to spend the winter. (I find that they rarely put much …
Type: Blog
