… with a slight fragrance of old rose. The glossy evergreen leaves have a good tolerance for foliar diseases (black spot, powdery mildew). This cultivar maintains the spreading growth …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… broods is right around the center of Illinois—so Northern Illinois is part of the territory for Brood XIII, which also shows up in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan; they last … are about 1¼ inches long, black, red-eyed, orange-veined, with clear wings, and they live for two to four weeks. Male cicadas attract females for mating by singing (vibrating their tymbals—drum-like muscles on their abdomens). Different …
Type: Blog
… is soil? Great garden soil teems with life, and the creatures that live there are responsible for breaking down leaves/compost/mulch into the nutrients that your plants need. Some creatures … of soil hold the oxygen that underground roots and animals need. They also create the spaces for water and tiny creatures to move around in. Pressure from above ground—from a car, a tractor, … all natural soil amendments, but the terminology can get confusing. Compost is a general term for natural materials that have decomposed enough to be added to your soil. Every kitchen …
Type: Plant Info
… bloom spike. Very easy to grow in medium light with average watering, this stunning orchid is best grown in slightly humid, cool, well-ventilated conditions because of the Miltoniopsis in its … by genus and is consistent with their natural habitat. While requiring adequate sunlight for a stunning bloom display, most orchids will not tolerate sustained direct sun. Many varieties …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Chris Baker has been studying and working on bonsai for more than 16 years. Like so many, he started out as an enthusiast with a true love of … to natural-looking bonsai, North American species, and American potters. This led Baker to visit other bonsai curators, professionals, and ceramicists around the country to study this …
Type: Staff bio
… here courtesy of Ayse’s mother, Figen Ormancioglu, who kindly brought it with her on a recent visit. (The family surname translates as “son of the forester”—Ayse’s love of botany is in her … “Chai,” “junipers,” and “I’ll have another glass,” were three answers; the flavor is hard for American taste buds to define. Sweet and savory and spicy all at once, there’s a note of bark …
Type: Blog
… November is a great month to tuck your lawn and garden to bed for the season. Nighttime temperatures are dipping below freezing, frosts are more frequent, and … Soil from containers can be stored in a pile outside and combined with equal parts fresh mix for next year’s containers. Potting soil from window boxes can be discarded or stored for later use, provided there are no signs of disease. Protect garden beds from de-icing products …
Type: Plant Info
… to grow where one can't reach her. – Elizabeth Gordon Nymphaea is the beautifully named genus for about half of all waterlily species. (The Nymphaeaceae family totals eight genera and about … along the Water's Edge Complete List of Waterlily Species Information From the Experts Fish for Backyard Pond Keeping Ponds from Freezing Overwintering Water Lilies Picture-Perfect … Tropical or Hardy Tropical waterlilies are often unique and colorful, but are too tender for our Zone 5 winters, while "hardy" refers to waterlilies that can survive our winters. …
Type: Plant Info
… too frequently, their uneaten food will encourage algae. If your pond contains too many fish for the volume of water, you will probably need a pumped filtration system. A brand new pond … is achieved among plants, fish and scavengers. Be sure your pond contains enough plants for its size, particularly the submerged aquatics known as oxygenators. They absorb nitrates from …
Type: Plant Info
… from your own backyard to make interesting centerpieces. Here are some plants to look for: Osage orange ( Maclura pomifera ), ornamental grass plumes, crabapple fruit ( Malus sp.), … larger plumes, twigs, or seed heads in the back or middle of your display if you are looking for height. Another option is to group your arrangement by color—pastels, browns, oranges and …
Type: Plant Info
