… Tropicanna® Gold canna lily is not hardy in the Chicago area (USDA zones 7 – 11) but still deserves a place in the garden … bed in full sun (maximize flower production) or light shade (utilize the variegated foliage to lighten dark spots in the garden). Hummingbirds recognize this genus as one of their favorite … plants in Central and South America but deer find the foliage distasteful. Tropicana® Gold is the result of an open pollinated cross between the original Tropicanna® (darker foliage and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… this nonhardy cultivar of foxglove. The large flowers are rosy red on the outside. The inside is ivory white speckled with dark pink spots. The outward-facing flowers enhance the display qualities. This is one of a series of recent crosses made between the common hardy foxglove ( Digitalis purpurea … "Digiplexis". Plant this foxglove in partial shade and in moist, well-drained soils; mulch to retain soil moisture. All parts of the plants contain cardiac glycosides and other bio-active …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… seedheads attached in winter and they will attract birds. PIXIE MEADOWBRITE™ coneflower is a Chicagoland Grows® selection. Chicagoland Grows® is a plant introduction partnership of the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois formed to promote plant cultivars that perform well in northern Illinois. This variety was developed at …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Narcissus ‘Rip Van Winkle’ is in Division 4. It stands 5 -8 inches high and blooms very early in the season. The yellow … not be eaten by deer or rabbits. The name Narcissus comes from the Greek word for narcotic and is tied to the myth of a young man known as Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection. When he …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Narcissus ‘Yellow Cheerfulness’ is in Division 4. It stands 12 - 18 inches high and blooms late in the season with double flowers … not be eaten by deer or rabbits. The name Narcissus comes from the Greek word for narcotic and is tied to the myth of a young man known as Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection. When he …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Heath aster is a native perennial plant that can be found in most counties in Illinois where they grow in the … and along roadsides and railroad tracks. It branches horizontally, producing a bushy plant up to 2 feet tall. The stems and leaves are hairy, and from late summer through fall it produces small white daisy-like flowers in great numbers. It prefers full sun where it is drought resistant and will attract bees, wasps, and flies as well as butterflies and moths …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… After periodic deluges that leave the Midwest struggling to dry out, it may seem unnecessary to think about the importance of watering wisely and efficiently. But it's not unusual for one … disease and insect problems. Keeping an eye on a rain gauge in your own backyard “ecosystem” is an important step to keeping your carbon-absorbing, oxygen-producing plants both healthy and …
Type: Plant Info
… A favorite destination for gardeners and nature lovers alike is the woods. The Chicago Botanic Garden's McDonald Woods was once a part of a large oak … beautiful woodland. Gardeners often wonder if it's possible, in suburban or even urban areas, to establish a little piece of woodland of their own. Jim Steffen, ecologist at the Chicago … up the entire woodland community. If you don't have trees, you can use the side of a building to create needed light shade. The north or east side of a house or garage is best for understory …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. Help! I never got around to planting my tulip bulbs this fall. Is there anything I can do to save them? A. If the bulbs are still firm and show no signs of decay or rot, you can pot them …
Type: Plant Info
… packets or harvested straight from the garden. Often, the reason for germination failure is sowing dead seeds. To test the viability of larger seeds, add them to a jar filled with water. The dead seeds will float, while the viable ones will sink to the …
Type: Plant Info
