… Q. I would like to plant varieties of tulips and daffodils this fall in addition to smaller bulbs. Any suggestions for planting techniques? A. Most tulips and … plant your bulbs three times as deep as the height of the bulb. If the soil is heavy clay, mix in finely shredded wood chips or composted leaf mold. When planting a large bulb bed, dig out all … bulbs to develop a strong root system during the fall. Bulbs always look best when planted in large drifts. …
Type: Plant Info
… Individual plants can grow to 5 feet by 3 feet on this Madagascar native that may be extinct in the wild. Its 5- to 6-sided fleshy, thorny stems are adorned with short, oblong leaves that … garden. The name of this plant is from the Latin euphorbea for Euphorbus, a Greek physician in 1 C.E. who used the sap medicinally. The milky latex sap of this Madagascar native "bleeds" when stems are cut; the bleeding can be stopped by immersing the stems in warm water. The Euphorbiaceae are a very large family, containing more than 2,000 species, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… is derived from a plant that is native to the Chicagoland area. It flowers prolifically in late spring with small pinkish-lavender flowers. After the flowers fade the plant bears the … against the pale flowers. Espresso grows to about two feet high and eighteen inches wide in full or partial sun making it suitable for borders in sunny areas. It requires regular deep watering during dry periods. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Ginkgo 'Windover Gold' was introduced by Windover Nurseries in southern Indiana and has leaves slightly larger that is typical. It was selected from a male tree and will not produce the distinctive strong smelling fruit in the fall. Windover Gold Ginkgo will become a full size broadly oval shade tree approximately … a maidenhair fern frond. It is one of the most pollution-tolerant trees and works well in the city. The Ginkgo is an ancient deciduous conifer and evidence has been found which shows …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Vernal or Ozark witch hazels, although native from Missouri to Texas, are fully hardy in the Chicago area and are a welcome harbinger of spring. These are medium-sized shrubs or small … yellow petals that emerge from a dark red calyx. Each flower has four petals, but they grow in tight clusters of three or four. The petals unfurl late in winter or early spring as soon as temperatures get above 40 degrees. If temperatures go below …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… covering for the true flower inside, which is pollinated exclusively by hummingbirds in South America. The dark green leaves, with their red midribs and maroon undersides are attractive in their own right, and help the colorful flowers stand out even more. For home gardeners, … long as you give it good loamy free-draining soil and keep it moist. Just don’t let it stand in water. It grows quickly and starts blooming at about 3 feet, though it can reach up to 5 feet. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Harvest Moon witch hazel flowers in the late fall, around Thanksgiving and the harvest moon. Because the leaves have fallen the … seen, making this a beautiful plant when little else is flowering. Witch hazel extract is used in cosmetics and skin care products. This relatively large vase shaped shrub grows to a height of … are initially reddish bronze then green changing to inconspicuous shades of yellow and brown in the fall. The flowers are small, fragrant strap shaped lemon-yellow petals that provide a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… late spring, hellebore, or Lenten rose, produces outward-facing flowers, 2 to 3 inches wide, in dappled shade. Ivory Prince™ is the trade name for this reliably hardy, profuse bloomer. In spite of temperatures dipping to minus 16 degrees Fahrenheit in January 2014, this cultivar started blooming the second week of April. It shook off the 2-inch …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… has pale yellow flowers lightly spotted with tiny flecks of purple. The coloring is darker in the center of the petals, and lighter at the edges. The stems stand 4 to 5 feet tall with 5 to 10 blooms on each stem in July and August. Lilium kessselringianum is native to the Caucasus mountains where it is a … of this lily makes it a lovely addition to the garden. Lilies love full sun, but will do well in partial shade. They tolerate hot summer days, as long as the bulbs are deep enough to remain …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… specimen tree grows up to 20 feet high with full sun and moderate moisture conditions. In April its foliage emerges bronzy red; its red buds open to rose-red flowers that attract … good disease resistance. Crabapples are small flowering trees that provide a showy display in the spring landscape for 1 to 2 weeks. In addition to the eye-catching buds and flowers, their foliage, habit, and fruit make them …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
