… Q. I would like to enrich my garden soil this spring and wonder about using manure on my flower beds. A. Composted or aged manure is a wonderful soil amendment, useful in most types of garden beds. When completely composted, it … It can be turned into the soil this spring or applied as a winter mulch once the ground is frozen late next fall. …
Type: Plant Info
… Thailand Giant elephant ears is a massive herbaceous plant with enormous broad heart-shaped green leaves that was found in the jungles of northern Thailand. Thailand Giant can grow to nine feet in height and about 6 feet in width with single leaves reaching five feet long. It … scented white flowers during the growing season. Because of its large size Thailand Giant is a heavy feeder and will require consistent moisture. Elephant ears are not hardy in Chicago …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… clusters are produced from late April into May atop 10-inch red flower stalks. The foliage is attractive as well, with glossy, deep green leaves turning a burgundy color in the fall. Bergenias are very hardy perennials native to Siberia and Mongolia. The specific epithet name "cordifolia" describes the large, round evergreen leaves in Latin. It is commonly known as 'pig squeak' because of the sound it makes when the thick, leathery leaves …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… In spring, Cytisus × praecox 'Allgold', also known as Scotch broom or Warminster broom, is covered with canary-yellow flowers topped with a pale yellow flag on a shrub maturing at 6 … fragrance that not everyone finds pleasant. Not reliably hardy in the Chicago area, this plant is also noted for its tolerance of salt spray and poor, acidic soils. The very small leaves are deciduous during droughts, leaving the task of photosynthesis to the green chlorophyll covering the densely twiggy stems and trunk. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Chinese witch hazel is highly valued for its yellow flowers in late winter, rich green foliage through the summer and … the base perfume the garden from January into March. The medium green leaves are oval-rounded to obovate in shape. It is a wonderful late winter-blooming shrub. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Narcissus ‘Hollandia’ is in Division 4. It blooms very early in the spring with flowers that have double coronas. The … not be eaten by deer or rabbits. The name Narcissus comes from the Greek word for narcotic and is tied to the myth of a young man known as Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection. When he …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Narcissus ‘Replete’ is in Division 4. It blooms in mid season with 4 inch double flowers. The petals are white and … not be eaten by deer or rabbits. The name Narcissus comes from the Greek word for narcotic and is tied to the myth of a young man known as Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection. When he …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Narcissus ‘Texas’ is in Division 4. It blooms in mid spring with double flowers. The petals are yellow and arranged … not be eaten by deer or rabbits. The name Narcissus comes from the Greek word for narcotic and is tied to the myth of a young man known as Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection. When he …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… and prairies of North America. Individual flowers last only one day or one night. 'Siskiyou' is a cultivated version growing 15 inches tall, covered all summer with a mass of 2-inch, … on each petal resembles the wing of a butterfly and glows when backlit by the sun. Well suited to hot dry sites, it is ideal as a ground cover, in rock garden, or in containers. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… the genus) taxon from an extremely small natural population in Mexico. The epidermous tissue is lime grey-green, a unique color in cactus. Grown in full sun, extremely well drained soils and restricted watering in winter to avoid root rot. The genus name honors the Ortega family who assisted in the discovery of this … inaccessible location. Produces side shoots that develop their own root system (unusual) or is also often sold as a grafted plant. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
