… are simple, with five bright pink petals. These are followed by large red rose hips covered in bristles. The branches are also covered with red bristles. The leaves are pinnate, with 4 to 5 pairs of narrow, glossy leaflets. It grows in boggy areas in its native habitat. Fall color is a mix of red and purple. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Description: This heron can be seen wading in water, spearing fish with its long beak, or flying over with neck and legs tucked. One of the most peaceful summer scenes at the Garden is observing a great blue heron standing in one of the lakes. The great blue stands 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall and has a blue-gray back; long, … heron takes off, revealing its 6-foot wingspan and looking like a prehistoric flying dinosaur. In flight, the great blue can be confused with the similarly sized sandhill crane. But the heron …
Type: Birding
… The most common year-round woodpecker at the Garden is frequently spotted-especially in the McDonald Woods and Barbara Brown Nature Reserve. Even on the coldest day in winter, you might see or hear a Downy Woodpecker give its whinnylike call in the woods at the Garden. This hardy, adaptable bird is built to get food left by other birds …
Type: Birding
… the versatile herb, rosemary. Rosmarinus officinalis is an evergreen shrub hardy to zone 6. In its native Mediterranean environment, it can reach 6 feet, but in Chicago, gardeners are more accustomed to its dainty growth patterns. The pale blue flowers … will help gardeners maintain healthy rosemary all year. Rosemary is happiest when grown in a soilless mix, which is a composition of vermiculite, perlite, and coarse peat. In the wild, …
Type: Plant Info
… lines is the most easily identifiable symptom. White or yellow spots appear on leaf surfaces in response to scale feeding. Timing & Life Cycle Euonymus scale spends the winter as a mated adult female that then lays eggs in the spring. These eggs hatch into tiny immature scales called crawlers that, for a brief … or white spots appear on upper and lower leaf surfaces. The entire leaf may turn yellow. In severe cases, leaves drop and the plant dies. Treatment & Solutions If possible, site plants …
Type: Plant Info
… for many years? A. Most of the large hybrid tulips planted today are not true perennials in the Chicago area. Tulips require moisture in spring, when they are actively growing, followed by a dry, dormant period during summer. After tulips fade, most gardeners plant annuals in their place—plants that require constant watering throughout the summer. This excess moisture …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I already fertilized my lawn in the spring. Should I do it again in the fall? A. Late summer or early fall is an important time to apply fertilizer to lawns. The summer heat and fluctuations in precipitation have stressed lawns. A cool-season fertilizer gives the turf time recuperate and …
Type: Plant Info
… to the southeastern parts of North America. Winter King bears masses of fragrant white flowers in the spring which then turn into red fruits in early fall. The dark green leaves change to red and then purple in the fall and during the winter months the attractive gray bark is visible. This cultivar is …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… the corms become crowded – a boon for gardeners who dislike dividing clumps of bulbs. Hardy in USDA zones 6 through 10. Plant in full sun in areas that frequently dry out and get hot. Protect corms from voles, if possible. Hummingbirds …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 'Half Pint' is a very floriferous formal, decorative dahlia, introduced in 2015. The numerous petals are rich coral-red, with a yellow base, and can measure 5 inches … warmth and can be planted when all danger of frost has passed. They can be started indoors in pots to achieve earlier blooming. They require at least eight hours of sun to be at their best. Dahlias are not hardy in the Chicago area, and the tubers must be lifted, cleaned, and stored in a cool, dry place to …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
