… are moths. Our local butterflies range from the tiny Eastern-tailed blue and gray hairstreak to the giant swallowtail. Butterflies and their offspring (eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalids) … the majestic monarch butterflies are known for their incredible mass migration, flying up to 3,000 miles in late summer to their winter home in Mexico. But their numbers have greatly … or containers that offer nectar for the adults and host plants for the caterpillars. Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid that butterflies, bees, and other pollinators rely on for energy. If you …
Type: Plant Info
… Pergola (per’-go-lah) Pergolas may be elongated, narrow arbors, basically covering a walkway to another part of the garden. Or, they can be larger structures covering a patio or a deck. They can be freestanding or attached to an exterior wall. The top, which serves as a ceiling, is often a series of slats or latticework that provides partial shade. Like arbors, pergolas are …
Type: Plant Info
… Winter solstice is just around the corner—December 21 to be exact. On that day, we in the Midwest will have about nine hours of daylight. Compare that to a whopping 15 hours of daylight when the summer solstice takes place in June. Although there …
Type: Plant Info
… within the Chicago Botanic Garden, an unsettling hush blankets the surroundings. The air is crisp, and the vibrant colors of the foliage at first creates a tranquil atmosphere. But as you wander along the paths, you begin to sense something otherworldly below the surface, a subtle shift in the air that sends a shiver down your spine. The sun-dappled trees seem to whisper secrets to each other, their leaves rustling in an eerie symphony. However the wind …
Type: Blog
… Meadow-making has become a captivating trend, often referred to as The New Naturalism, The New American Garden, The New Perennial Movement, Meadowscaping, and the Dutch Wave. All speak to mimicking the look and feel of the prairie, using great drifts of sun-loving perennials that … place that supports bees, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. In some ways, meadowscaping is like a dreamy, modernistic interpretation of a prairie on steroids. These designed landscapes …
Type: Plant Info
… Q: Is it safe to compost rhubarb leaves? A: Yes. Although the leaves of rhubarb plants contain a high level of oxalic acid and should not be eaten, they are safe to add to the compost pile. The oxalic acid degrades rapidly in the pile and has no impact on compost …
Type: Plant Info
… This clump-forming evergreen perennial grows to a height of 18 inches with partial to full shade and moist soil conditions. It has showy pink blooms that attract butterflies from … through June. It belongs in a border or used as a ground cover or an understory plant and is attractive to birds. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Geum ‘Lisanne' grows to 12 – 18 inches high and blooms in mid May to late June with 1 ¼ inch pale yellow flowers that face outward, held on thin wiry stems above a clump of green basal leaves. Plant it in full sun to partial shade. It is hardy in zones 4- 8. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Lime green bracts appear in July that age to pink and finish up at red on this panicled hydrangea that matures as a smaller size. Earlier flowering is a boon to northern gardeners and the smaller stature with stout stems enables the cultivar to be used in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This shrub grows to a height of 12 feet with full sun to partial shade and moderate moisture conditions. It has showy white, red, yellow, and pink … June followed by edible red, green, and black fruit. It belongs in a hedge or a border and is also attractive to birds. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
