… pendant greenish-white flowers in spring followed by dark blue berries in fall. A native that is at home in gardens and natural areas. Plant in partial to fully shaded areas in moist, well-drained soils and allow this elegant perennial to create a small colony over time. A number of pollinator …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… tall plant in the back of the perennial border. Lavender flowers, which are actually sepals and stamen, make their appearance in late June and early July. Native to Japan, the lavender mist meadow rue is rapidly gaining popularity in America's gardens. Soft texture and purple blooms …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Thunbergia grandiflora , commonly known as the blue trumpet vine, is native to northern India. Like other climbing vines, it needs space to attain mature size and habit. Hard pruning to control the size significantly reduces flower production. Flowers are … lavender than blue. This genus was named in honor of Dr. Carl Peter Thunberg, who traveled and collected extensively in Java and Japan at a time when both of those countries were not …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… by light green foliage. Yellow Form forest lily ( Veltheimia bracteata 'Yellow Form') is favorite nectar source of sunbirds in Africa and hummingbirds in USDA Zones 9 and warmer in North America. The plant adapts easily to growing indoors in the Chicago area if …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… a part of the past. Here are some simple instructions for saving your own tomato seeds — and some reasons why standard varieties make a better seed source than hybrid strains. Waiting … but many seeds come equipped with mechanisms that stall germination until the time is right. Without the inhibitors in the gel sack, nothing would prevent a tomato seed from … it is still on the parent plant. When a ripe tomato falls off the plant, it sits on the ground and rots away, gel sack and all, and the seeds are left to germinate. Home Grown Germination You …
Type: Plant Info
… Crown-of-thorns ( Euphorbia milii var. splendens ) is a slow-growing plant with a rambling growth habit. Individual plants can grow to 5 feet by 3 … flowers—yellow cyathia enclosed by red bracts—require full sun, moderate temperatures, and low humidity. It's a perfect addition to the desert garden. The name of this plant is from the Latin euphorbea for Euphorbus, a Greek physician in 1 C.E. who used the sap …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… draw insects near enough to discover the watery fluid at the base of the cylinder. Alas, it is a one-way trip as slanted hairs covering the inside of the cylinders prevent insects from … plants thrive in full sun on hummocks in acidic bogs where their ability to obtain nitrogen and other essential elements provide an ecological advantage over their competitors. Despite … a dormancy or rest period in order to thrive in cultivation. For temperate species, this is met by cooling temperatures in winter whereas tropical species depend upon a decrease in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… are many field guides to help gardeners identify birds, butterflies, pollinators, wildflowers, and weeds. For the vegetable gardener, there’s the new Fresh from the Garden: An Organic Guide to Growing Vegetables, Berries, and Herbs in Cold Climates, by John Whitman (University of Minnesota Press). How about a magazine … hoe? Many garden centers now offer lightweight collapsible hoses that curl up when the water is turned off. Most gardeners could use a spare watering can, too. Wind Chimes Give the gift of …
Type: Plant Info
… Promise') sports a riot of color in August. Peppers add color and heat to a world of cuisines They vary from the paprikas of Hungary to the curry powder of … compound called capsaicin. The body often reacts to capsaicin by sweating, which some suggest is one reason hot peppers are popular in hot climates. In northern climates, peppers tend to be … kind of summer that is pretty much guaranteed in Bolivia, but not in Chicago. You'll need a site in full sun and well-drained, fertile soil, amended with plenty of compost or other organic …
Type: Plant Info
… your food waste. Composting with worms, also known as “vermicomposting,” can be an easy and fun project for your whole family that also teaches children about nature’s cycles. View all … view part 2 Worm Composting View part 3 Why compost? Reducing the volume of your garbage is good by itself. Removing food from the waste stream is especially beneficial because food buried in a landfill causes production of methane gas and contributes to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. When done correctly, home composting …
Type: Blog
