… can be grown as a multistemmed shrub or a rounded tree since it attains heights of 12' to 15' or can even reach 20' to 30' over a 30-year period. The small, finely toothed oval leaves are similar to the leaves of … the Chicago Botanic Garden. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer being updated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… online, in magazines, at garden centers, and in the news where their benefits are often linked to helping the plight of bees and other important pollinators . Many natives get the nod for … sales and through specialty nurseries. As ground covers, some native perennials can be used to replace spotty turf in dry, shady sites. Others complement non-native plants in sunny beds, … garden designs. And, native trees and shrubs offer nesting sites and food for many birds. What IS a native plant? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a native plant “is a plant …
Type: Plant Info
… species that affect the Chicago area today. Although invasive species are almost always new to an area, it’s not a plant or animal’s origin that makes them invasive—it’s their impact. … damage entire landscapes. Introduced as a food source, garlic mustard ( Alliaria petiolata ) is now invasive in woodlands in the Chicago area and beyond. Most of the plants and animals that people deliberately or accidentally move to new locations don’t cause major problems, but the ones that do can threaten water and food …
Type: Blog
… Native to Illinois, spotted Joe-Pye weed grows in moist areas where it can reach 5 feet or more; it has a dense, erect habit. This perennial is suitable for large-scale planting or use in a mixed border. The showy, lavender-pink flowers grow in flat-topped clusters 4 to 6 inches wide on this tall, late-flowering plant. They bloom for an extended period of time, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Seven months in the making, the mum-loaded “hayracks” form a kind of grand entryway to the rich hues of early fall. “Visitors love them, and they have become our fall trademark each year,” he said. Pro tip: Get to the Garden early and take a selfie under the hayracks on the bridge leading toward the … in Japan. All told, we grew 6,965 mums for this year’s fall display; the bridge display is the most labor intensive. Mums in waiting, grown for fall displays Mums in autumn hues In …
Type: Blog
… a lavender base. It requires full sun and consistently warm humid growing conditions. It is monopodial, meaning the plants maintain the same growing stem as they clamber up trees to reach the sunlight. The orchid family consists of a large number of genera, each with its own … and contrasting colors and in a variety of shapes and sizes. Although some orchids are native to temperate zones, most orchids tend to prefer a semi-tropical or tropical environment (USDA …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Windy City Harvest’s Youth Farm in high school because she was a “tomboy at heart” who wanted to get her hands dirty. Deshawn Willingham started in the Corps program because he needed a job—then from day one, he fell in love with “how resilient and amazing nature is.” Clarence Smith’s family has farmed for generations in Michigan and Mississippi; Windy City Harvest programs “brought him back to his roots,” and helped him discover that he has a knack for the business side of farming. Put …
Type: Blog
… In the face of increasingly unpredictable winter weather, what is remaining constant, what is changing, and how is nature affected? Use winter-based phenomena to drive investigations around these questions. Create tools to measure and graph the position of the sun. Track weather changes, observe animal signs and …
Type: Item Detail
… Also known as the ladyfinger banana, this is the cultivar that once covered thousands of acres in lowland Central America before the arrival of a disease. It is now confined to high elevations or locations around the world currently free of the disease. At 17 feet in height, this is a cultivar more suited to commercial production than for use in the tropical home landscape. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Harvest Gold’ is another Ozark witch hazel known for its fragrant orange blooms in early spring and for its spectacular golden foliage in the fall. It is hardy in zones 4-8 and grows to a height of 6’ over time with full sun to partial shade. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
