… inner whorl of petals above relatively wide glossy green leaves. Like other snowdrops, this is an ideal candidate for naturalizing underneath the canopy of large deciduous trees like oaks … its life cycle before they leaf out in spring. An extract of the leaves, galanthamine , is used in some European countries to treat Alzheimer's Disease. Other compounds are toxic, the reason while chipmunks, squirrels …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… A wild rose native to the mountains of central and southern Europe, redleaf rose sports attractive waxy purple leaves and small soft pink flowers. Unlike most roses, it is grown mainly for its foliage, a unique combination of purple, gray, and green. The pink … in May and June, and are followed in the fall by orange-red hips that last into winter. It is a vase-shaped shrub with minimal thorns on reddish canes that grows 6 – 8 feet tall. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Brown-eyed Susan is one of 5 species of Rudbeckia native to Illinois. It is very hardy and somewhat drought-tolerant. It forms a more bushy mound than the more commonly …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Spring is the time to start seeds—especially for the veggies and herbs that thrive in summer's heat. Tomatoes. Peppers. Onions. Basil. Parsley. They're some of the most popular plants to grow in Chicago area gardens, and they're the main ingredients for the tomato sauces that … And there's invaluable information about transplanting, watering needs, and harvesting—which is why it's a good idea to save your empty seed packs for further reference through the season. …
Type: Plant Info
… Serendipity Elephant's Ear is a tall plant with large, heart-shaped purplish-green leaves with very dark purple undersides. … a sheltered location, or as part of a moist understory planting or shady border. It will grow to about six to eight feet tall and about 4 feet wide. 'Serendipity' is not hardy in Chicago and the plant can …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… mum ( Chrysanthemum 'Matchsticks') are golden yellow with fire engine-red tips. The quill form is created when normally flat petals don't split down a seam as they mature. The red at the tips … seen if this were a daisy-flowered mum. This hardy cultivar does not need pinching or staking to reach the mature height and spread of 2 feet by 2 feet in the garden, and it often produces an early flush of flowers in July in addition to the spectacular main display from September through early November. Like all mums, butterflies …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Clematis 'Toki' produces very large, snowy white eight-petaled flowers in late May to early June. In the center of each flower is a cluster of champagne-colored anthers. One of the earliest of the large-flowered clematis to bloom, it was released in 1989 by Kozo Sugimoto of Japan. After the initial flowering, it will …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ends of its branches; the flowers are deep violet with contrasting pink eyes. Butterfly bush is a half-hardy shrub. Its top is frequently killed to the ground in Chicago-area gardens, but it puts forth vigorous growth in late spring. It … of 5 feet in this area. Plant 'Black Knight' in full sun, and water it well the first year to get the root system well established. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Hydrangea macrophylla is a deciduous shrub that grows 3-6’ tall and wide. It features dark green leaves and large … lace cap or mophead in structure. ‘Tokyo Delight’ is a large lace cap cultivar that grows to 6 feet tall and blooms from July-August. The remarkable flowerheads consist of a ring of white florets - changing to light pink as they mature – surrounding the corymbs which are pink when planted in alkaline …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Iris 'Like Wow' is a tall bearded iris that stands 32 inches high and blooms in mid season. The standards are … bloom after the dwarf irises but before the Japanese and Siberian Irises. They are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds and resistant to rabbits and deer. Iris is the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow. The classic 'Fleur de …
Type: Garden Guide Plant