… heart-shaped which turn yellow in the fall. In early spring before the leaves appear, the tree is covered with masses of violet-pink flowers that spring straight from the bare trunks and which … early season sustenance to hummingbirds and a range of other pollinators. Ace of Hearts is a dwarf redbud, designed for smaller gardens, reaching heights of only 9 to 12 feet and widths … feet with a graceful spreading growth habit. It is a suitable understory planting if able to get a few hours of direct light during the day. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Black Ace turtlehead is a perennial that gets its name from its dark leaves. The white flowers, which appear from July … prefers wet soil in part shade where it will attract butterflies. Native to North America, it is a host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly. Cut it back in the spring to reduce the height or it may flop and need support. It is an ideal plant for the rain garden where it will spread slowly by rhizomes. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This plant is an echinacea which is native to eastern north America. It gets its name from the center of the flowers that look … stems with dark green leaves. It prefers full sun to part shade and well-drained soils but is adaptable to clay and rocky soils. During the summer the plant will attract butterflies and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… smooth, hefty versions were bred and popularized. Parsnips from the past 'Hollow Crown' is a venerable variety, known before 1825, that's still available today. (Heirloom seed companies … that we added two more varieties this year. 'Albion', like most parsnips, is disease- and pest-free, and also resistant to the cankers that can affect some other varieties. 'Lancer' has the …
Type: Plant Info
… saving our special discovery for last. I got everyone’s attention and announced, “This is extremely rare! As a butterfly wrangler, I have released many thousands of butterflies, but … fascinated by the lacewing, which sat on the tip of my finger. Then it took flight and was free in the blink of an eye. Luckily, one of our volunteers snapped some beautiful photos. Later, … be a valuable contribution to science, and if nothing else, something that everyone should get a chance to see. I tried to find and capture it so an expert could take a closer look. A full …
Type: Blog
… the end of a long lax stem floating just above the water surface. In the center of each flower is a cluster of showy stamens. Waterlilies have been cultivated since at least 2000 B.C. and are … Waterlilies need full sun to flower and must be anchored in mud as they are not free floating. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Here are a few great ideas to get your taste buds going: Add a bit of mint to a basil pesto Grow thyme in unexpected flavors: … muddling technique Muddling 101 Here’s the first rule of muddling: Don’t overmuddle. Muddling is the process of gently—repeat, gently—bruising the leaves of herbs. As Kasey said, “If you hear … cover the bottom. Add about a cup of fruit. (Amounts of both will vary according to taste—feel free to experiment!) Bruise fruit and herb leaves with muddler to release some of the juices and …
Type: Blog
… color, mature to a rosy pink, and fade to burgundy. No need to mix and match cultivars to get that perfect blend of compatible colors in the flower bed. Plant in full sun and well-drained … rabbits for best results. The flowers attract pollen-hungry insect pollinators, and the nectar is a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Tamarack or American Larch, is one of the deciduous conifers that they drop their leaves in fall. Early spring growth brings …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… school can have a traditional school garden, but that doesn’t mean gardening with students is impossible. Learn about different ways to envision a school garden, from growing vegetables in … gardens to reach SEL and academic goals for all. Bring plants with you after the program to get started at school or at home. ISBE PD Hours: 6, Gateways: 6 Grade level: preK – 12 Linnaeus …
Type: Item Detail
