… February is such an exciting month for gardeners—time for the first seeds to get started indoors, and time … make some unexpected discoveries: the last of the lettuce seeds you collected but left in the garage by mistake over the winter…those unknown flower seeds that the neighbor gave … the most out of every seed. The process is easy—so easy that you can get the kids interested in it as a fun germination experiment . Double-check your seed packs before you get …
Type: Plant Info
… When gardening in the Midwest, it is truly a delight to discover plants that have saved their showier sides for the last months of … to the more subtle beauty of the winter landscape. One plant whose shiny red berries sparkle in the snow is a deciduous holly, Ilex verticillata . Often called winterberry or coralberry, …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. Is it possible to grow a bay-leaf tree inside the house? A. Under the right circumstances, a bay … plant indoors during the winter and outside during the summer months. Bay trees are often sold in containers and occasionally have been trained into standards with one main trunk and a big … winter, a bright spot with a few hours of direct sunlight a day is best. Water very sparingly in winter and let the potting mix dry out before watering again. Like ivy, Laurus does not mind …
Type: Plant Info
… to try at home. Have your kids outgrown their toddler rainboots? Don’t throw them away! Here is a fun project for the whole family. Materials A rainboot predrilled with three holes; small … add soil to the boot. The shaft of the boot should be filled, and when the plant is placed in the boot, the plant will stick out. 3. Spritz with water. If the begonia plants are dry in the roots, spritz them before planting. …
Type: Blog
… Callicarpa hybrid '2011B' is one of the many selections of beautyberry bred and selected by former Garden director, Kris Jarantoski. Kris gathered together a large number of species and cultivars in his breeding plots then let the pollinators do their work. Over time, thousands of seedlings … a formal cultivar name. Beautyberries tolerate soil pH's close to neutral and can be grown in full sun or shaded conditions where their bright shiny berries are easily appreciated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… beneath a tuft of leaves; visually, their inflorescence resembles a pineapple. This is one of the best cultivars among all of the Fritillaria imperialis offerings for naturalizing in the Chicago area. The plant prefers well-drained soils that are moist during late winter … bulbs to repel rabbits and deer. Crown imperial fritillary is native to dry, rocky hillsides in Persia at higher elevations, where snowmelt provides early-season moisture. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Louisa crabapple is a weeping form that is well suited to treatment as a single specimen. Rose buds open to pink … that persist into winter. Crabapples are small flowering trees that provide a showy display in the spring landscape for 1 to 2 weeks. In addition to the eye-catching buds and flowers, their foliage, habit, and fruit make them …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Tina crabapple is notable for its very small size and spreading, shrub-like habit. Its dark pink buds open to … disease resistance. Crabapples are small flowering trees that provide a showy display in the spring landscape for 1 to 2 weeks. In addition to the eye-catching buds and flowers, their foliage, habit, and fruit make them …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Purple Rooster beebalm is derived from a north American native plant and grows to around 3 feet feet high and around 2 feet wide. This beebalm bears dark purple flowers during July and August. Beebalm grows in sunny or partially shady areas. If you gently rub your finger across the leaf, you'll be pleasantly surprised by its fragrance. Bright pompoms of flowers bloom in midsummer, and removing faded flowers will extend flowering. Beebalm is great for attracting …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Sunshine iris is one of the earliest bulb irises to bloom. In 2018, it started blooming here at the Chicago … iris. After the flowers wither, stiffly upright leaves follow, but the plants become dormant in summer, so keep track of where they are planted so they aren't damaged by summer plantings. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
