… in milder climates, the colorful leaves remain decorative all winter. It grows well in full to partial sun locations. Green Spice Coral Bells will attract birds, bees and is resistant to deer. Its mature size is a small mound 9 inches tall by 16 inches wide, with the flowers …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Midnight Rose Alumroot, with dark purple leaves splattered with hot pink polka dots, is so delightful. This lovely Heuchera hybrid would be a lively feature in any shady garden. It can be used in full sun to part shade. As with many colorful alumroot selections, the variegation or spot color evolves … wide at maturity. The foamy white spike of late spring flowers will extend the height up to 24 inches and add additional interest. It will attract birds, bees and is resistant to deer. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This slow-growing tree is a five-needled pine with lustrous dark-green foliage. Use it as a specimen plant. It produces 2"- to 3"-long brown cones on the ends of its branches and also has very attractive bark that exfoliates to reveal green, white and brown areas. This plant deserves greater attention in the horticulture …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… For American gardeners, the main attraction of Actinidia polygama hardy kiwi vine is the foliage, which becomes more and more silvery over the summer. That's what earned it its … And fall brings colorful yellow and orange berries. But there's a peppery, astringent edge to the taste so even in their native Japan people generally don't eat them raw. If you want to grow silver vine, plan on frequent pruning and strong support. Left unchecked, these woody …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… plant. Redbuds are a small-scale tree with big impact. A midwestern native plant growing 15 to 25 feet tall, eastern redbuds often have short trunks that begin branching close to the ground. Purple-pink flowers in March or April bloom directly on branches and mature … appeal. In native habitats, redbud grows as an understory tree in partial shade and soil that is naturally rich with organic matter. In cultivated gardens, redbud feels at home in dappled …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Spring is here and with it come wildflowers—trillium, mayapples, and spring beauties. Take a stroll or … parts that makes a garden a garden.” — Elements of Design by Joe Eck By May, it’s tempting to visit the local garden center and go gaga over all things in bloom. We load up the shopping cart with plants, perhaps without giving much thought to what will go where in the garden. It’s easy to get swept away. Flowers, with all their …
Type: Plant Info
… as how you can join Budburst, a Chicago Botanic Garden community science program. Learn how to submit observations with our mobile app and explore nature near you. A 45-minute guided walk takes place at 1 p.m. or take a self-guided walk anytime. The short trail loop is about 1/3 mile; the longer trail loop is about 2/3 mile. Dress for the weather. If winds are 20 or more miles per hour or if there is …
Type: Event for Calendar
… Sweet flag is a wetland species in the arum family resembling cattails or sweet flag iris, with narrow, rigid leaves up to three feet tall. The leaves have ridges and the bases have a red tinge. The flower is a curious little yellow-green spike (called a “spadix”). It shoots out at an angle from a stem …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The Prairie State is…not so much! Illinois is known as “the prairie state,” but this moniker no longer truly … than one-tenth of one percent of prairieland. Years ago, the prairie stretched from horizon to horizon. Today, it can be found only in small patches. Since several species of plants and … so will they. Chicago Botanic Garden scientists studying reproductive biology are working hard to understand how populations can be reestablished. Scientists have taken two different …
Type: Plant Info
… ‘Boreas’ (god of the north wind) is a tree peony with deep burgundy semi-double flowers. The ruffled petals, are each turned in a different direction, as if blown by the wind. Tree peonies often need to settle in one to two years before producing blooms and, once established, will grow to mature size in five to …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
