… Today’s enthusiasm for using herbs to treat ailments, whether Echinacea (purple coneflower) as an immune-system stimulant or Hypericum (St. Johnswort) as an antidepressant, is not new. Native Americans of the Great Plains held Echinacea in high regard and prescribed … gives a broader definition that includes a wide range of plants. It states, "In addition to herbaceous perennials, herbs include trees, shrubs, annuals, vines and more primitive plants …
Type: Plant Info
… in the English Walled Garden. Eremurus , commonly known as foxtail lily or desert candle, is a member of the lily family. Not a true bulb but a tuberous root, it stores its food in … emerge and form a rosette at the base of the plant. The impressive flower stalks can reach to 9 feet ( E. elwesii and E. robustus ) with hundreds of dense ¾- to 1-inch white, pink, … rotted compost or manure. To plant, open a 15-inch wide hole 6 inches deep in the prepared site. Pull up a shallow cone of soil in the middle. To improve drainage, add an inch or two of …
Type: Plant Info
… Description: Most winters, thanks to volunteer Peter Dogiakos, who fills homemade bird feeders with thistle in the Enabling Garden, … little birds, pine siskins give rising, buzzy, “zreeee” calls as they sit in trees or fly to spruce cones and feeders to dine. Pine siskins often hang out with American goldfinches, which … in about 13 days. Pine siskins could very well be on nests in Illinois in March! While winter is here, enjoy watching the antics of the siskins and their more common counterpart, the American …
Type: Birding
… its harsh croak when it takes off from a marsh. It was this bird’s beauty that nearly led to its demise at the turn of the twentieth century—when these and other waders were hunted for … 5-foot wing span, has become the symbol for the National Audubon Society, founded in part to stop these birds from being killed to extinction. Great egrets spend winter as far south as … a stunning spectacle for observers. Once on the state endangered species list, the great egret is doing well in Illinois; however, habitat loss and water pollution may threaten its future. …
Type: Birding
… Siberian fir is an evergreen tree native to the tundra and boreal forests of Siberia and northern China. The … is Пихта сибирская. The tree grows into a nice pyramidal form, become more narrow as it grows to an ultimate height of over 100 feet. The flattened, one-inch needles are fragrant and green …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… or on the lawn. Unlike many woodland birds, the northern flicker produces a sound that seems to come from the jungle. Its loud, laughing, rapid “kick-kick-kick-kick-kick” song echoes through … flies, you can see a golden yellow color in its under wings, indicating that the bird belongs to the yellow-shafted race. Flickers with red beneath their wings belong to the red-shafted race … courtship rituals. They dance, bow, sway, and sing facing their intended mate. Once a pair is established, nest-building begins. Flickers carve a cavity in a dead or dying tree and then …
Type: Birding
… Sun Spot Wintercreeper is a prostrate to mound-forming evergreen with thin leatherlike glossy green leaves. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… “I have a small garden, so I always try to select plants that have multiseasonal interest. This compact plant is as attractive in the autumn as it is in the spring,” says Jill Selinger, manager of continuing … the deep green foliage turns brilliant yellow. You should definitely consider adding these to your garden!” …
Type: Plant Info
… This toad lily has excellent foliage through the early season and is then capped by terminal clusters of unusual, tricolored flowers. The blooms, which range from white to pink, have crimson spots inside and a yellow eye. Underused because it's not known, this plant is a delightful addition to the shade garden. Use it as an accent plant, container plant or ground cover in a woodland …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… DREAMERIA® Dream Clouds Sea Thrift DREAMERIA® Dream Clouds Sea Thrift is a tough perennial that was bred to extend the bloom season from spring to late fall into all season long. It has a white ball of a flower that stands like a lollipop …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
