… Arkansas amsonia is native to Arkansas and Oklahoma and was identified and named in the wild in 1942 by Leslie … in cultivation. It is perhaps best known for its golden and persistent fall color that appears to be almost a golden cloud. Arkansas amsonia was chosen Perennial Plant of the Year in 2011. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Though most magnolias claim our attention from the beauty of their flowers, bigleaf magnolia is an eye-catcher because of its enormous leaves. At up to 30" long, the leaves are the largest of any tree native to North America and give a tropical effect. The large fragrant white flowers arise from a purple …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The holidays will soon be upon us. When it comes to the gardeners in your life, there are plenty of gift-giving ideas. An avid gardener can never have too many plants, tools, books, or other items to make the garden a work of art. Stumped about what to get? Here are a dozen suggestions to … hoe? Many garden centers now offer lightweight collapsible hoses that curl up when the water is turned off. Most gardeners could use a spare watering can, too. Wind Chimes Give the gift of …
Type: Plant Info
… provenance in New England, the Pacific Northwest, and the more temperate areas of the South, to the flat gardens of the Midwest, where they are flourishing as both suburban and urban … flowering shrubs. Along the way, new cultivars acquired a greater cold hardiness, a tolerance to alkaline soils, and a preference for sunny conditions—ta-daaa, a perfect summer-blooming shrub … 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
… for their flowers which appear in late winter or early spring and are often the first flowers to appear in the Chicago garden. The purple Christmas rose hellebore is native to the Carpathian mountains of central Europe where it grows in full sun in open grassy … cool, moist soils with a high organic content but are very adaptable requiring only that the site be well-drained. Typically they are planted in woodland settings under deciduous trees where …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The white oak is the state tree of Illinois. It was the dominant tree in the oak savannas common in … leaves for an extended period, often into the winter. Fall color varies with year from brown to a wine-red. This majestic oak is noted for its longevity, with trees over 300 years old not … The genus Quercus includes more than 600 species of the oak tree, of which 90 are native to North America; the Chicago Botanic Garden's collection contains more than 60 varieties and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Q: How can I overwinter coleus plants so I don’t have to buy new ones each spring? A: The easiest method is to pot up stem cuttings. Most growers and home gardeners use this method in late fall to …
Type: Plant Info
… Mow lawn at 2 to 2½ inches, removing one-third or less of the leaf blade. Leave grass clippings on the lawn to return nutrients to the soil, or add them to compost heap. Rake clippings slightly if they are … a pre-emergent weed killer in the same area. Fertilize lawn in mid-May if necessary. Late fall is a preferable time to fertilize. Monitor for weeds and hand pull or spot treat accordingly. …
Type: Plant Info
… daylily blooms scarlet with a green throat. The flowers which measure 5½ inches appear in mid to late season and are delightfully fragrant. Chicago Comanche will add a splash of color to any garden. Although each flower lasts only one day, there are multiple buds on each stalk and … The buds open in series, so a single plant will continue to bloom for 2 weeks or more. It is easy to grow and does well in full sun to part shade. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Aureus sweet mockorange is mostly grown for its foliage which emerges as golden in the spring and darkens to charteuse in the warmer months. It bears fragrant white flowers in late spring to early summer which are attractive to pollinators. This shrub grows to about eight feet tall …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
