… Take a stroll through a Midwestern prairie in high summer and you’ll likely find patches of vibrant red-orange flowers. The brilliant … viceroys, skippers, monarchs, and a host of other winged wonders flutter over the flowers in search of nectar all summer long. A native perennial, butterfly weed is found in prairies, restored natural areas, embankments, along roadsides and railroad tracks, …
Type: Plant Info
… it Gardenhenge. Here’s how he found it. I joined the Chicago Botanic Garden as photographer in August, and from my very first day, I was interested in finding what I like to call Gardenhenge. The idea comes from Chicagohenge, something I … itself naturally, the way skyscrapers do downtown. Without that kind of framing, a sunrise is just a sunrise, something that happens every day.
One morning, I climbed an overlook near the …
Type: Blog
… Big Ben is a large version of the native false indigo plant. It is a large, upright perennial that produces flower spikes with numerous dark purplish blue pea-like flowers in spring. Pollinators such as birds, bees and butterflies are attracted to these upright spikes that persist for about two weeks. Big Ben grows to about four feet in height and width and has grayish-green foliage. Although removing the flower spikes when they …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Vanilla Cream false indigo is notable for its compact habit and soft yellow buds that open to creamy blooms on 10" spikes. … wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the blooms of native species may be blue, yellow or white and the blooms of … or early summer flowers emerge along long stems held above attractive foliage and are followed in the fall by dark pods. Overall habits of the plant are broad-rounded mounds to vase-shaped and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… weather may fool people as well as plants into venturing out too soon. Winter still reigns in February, making it a month for gardeners to respond to the season’s challenges, plan for the … held throughout the year at the Garden. Tread lightly Avoid excessive walking on the lawn in winter. This can compress the soil and may damage grass that emerges in spring. Tree and Shrub Care Pruning tips Weather permitting, late February is an ideal time to heavily prune large woody plants that are fully dormant. The absence of …
Type: Plant Info
… ROYAL FROST® birch is a cross between Betula populifolia 'White Spire', which has white bark, and Betula 'Crimson … cooler climates and moist soil to thrive. The primary ornamental feature of birch trees is the bark. Many of the common names of birch trees refer to the color of the bark -- white, … susceptibility to bronze birch borer infestations, birch trees can be challenging to cultivate in the Chicago region. The genus Betula includes an indeterminate number of species of the birch …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… or gold); they are often featured as specimen trees where space permits. The smooth gray bark is an attractive feature of the species. The genus Fagus includes 10-13 species of the beech … regions of Asia, Europe and North America. Only Fagus grandifolia , the American beech, is native to the U.S. and Illinois. A single species, Fagus sylvatica or the European beech, accounts for the vast majority of cultivars used in landscaping. The Chicago Botanic Garden's collections contain three species but more than two …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Hybridization of certain species of hydrangea has shifted them from their exclusive provenance in New England, the Pacific Northwest, and the more temperate areas of the South, to the flat … for our area, H. serrata are the lovely and delicate lacecap hydrangeas. They are smaller in leaf and flower size which makes them perfect for shady garden beds and borders. Growers, … want a woody vine with the flat hydrangea flowers, consider H. anomala ssp. petiolaris . This is a vigorous perennial vine that clings and climbs to almost any surface. It requires a sturdy …
Type: Plant Info
… gardens, cottage gardens, fragrant gardens, fern gardens, carpet beds with annuals planted in intricate patterns, and many other styles. They were smitten by flower beds that focused on using only one color, such as blue, pink, or in the case of moon gardens, all white. They organized plants around an idea, something you can … or attracting butterflies. They can help children discover nature. And…creating a theme garden is just plain fun. Here’s a look at some popular planting themes. Of all the creatures that …
Type: Plant Info
… reveal a great deal about how they want the garden to be perceived. Dumbarton Oaks, located in Washington, D.C., and designed by brilliant landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, is a perfect example of a garden in which the designer's hand is evident in every detail. Over the years, acclaimed garden …
Type: Item Detail
