… Weigela are generally grown for their prolific and extended spring bloom. With 'Wings of Fire', even though the lavender-pink spring bloom is lovely, the flowers are just …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Calla lilies perfume the air around their sculptural, funnel-shaped, white chalices with a pleasing, faint citrus fragrance. Native to South African aquatic environments, this plant …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… can do is plant a seed, nurture it, and watch it grow. It’s an enjoyable way to connect with nature. And it’s a wonder-filled adventure for children and adults. Here’s another reason … too early (more than two months before May 15), tomato and pepper plants will become “leggy” with stretched stems unless they are grown under lights. Supplies You’ll need a bag of … the containers. This will prevent the lightweight material from blowing around as you work with it. Then, sow the seeds and cover the soil with a sheet of plastic wrap. If you are growing …
Type: Plant Info
… centers and big-box stores have large selections of insecticides, but they often kill the good with the bad. “Using organic techniques has a synergistic effect and companion planting is just … “I was a kid when I heard about companion planting,” Tiddens said. “We had a lot of trouble with rabbits, so my father planted Hungarian hot peppers surrounding the garden.” Tiddens has about 25 10-inch pots of herbs on his deck mixed with pots of ghost peppers—some of the most incredibly incendiary edibles, which appear to be a …
Type: Plant Info
… Fall is a good time to renovate existing turf. Cultivate those bare patches, and sow seeds with a grass mix suitable for sun or shade conditions. At the Garden, we have found success with a mix of 80 percent bluegrass and 20 percent perennial rye, and within that is a blend of … dry out and that causes brown spots in the lawn. Aerate in late spring or fall, and follow up with overseeding. Nina Koziol is a garden writer and horticulturist who lives and gardens in …
Type: Plant Info
… native to the deciduous woodlands of Europe and western Asia. Snowdrops are often confused with snowflakes (Leucojum spp.), to which they are closely related. Snowflakes are not only later-blooming but also much larger. Although both plants have white, bell-like flowers with green-tipped segments, the snowdrop has green tips only on the inner flower segments; the … as soon as they are available in the fall. Place in a sunny or semi-shady site, in moist soil with a large proportion of humus. The site should be well drained, with a neutral to alkaline pH …
Type: Plant Info
… secrets to each other, their leaves rustling in an eerie symphony. However the wind carries with it a freezing cold gust that cuts through your clothes, and you can't help but turn your … tap is a whisper of Kodama's presence. Then, there are moments when the air seems to shimmer with an otherworldly energy. The trees themselves appear to sway in response to a presence you … within this realm. The Kodama are drawn to gentleness and respect. To disturb their sanctuary with loud noises, hurried steps, or careless actions might provoke their playful curiosity. …
Type: Blog
… I started vermicomposting (composting with worms) in April for Earth Day. It has been four months and my worms have generated some nice … After separating the materials, add some fresh food scraps to the bedding side, and cover with moist newspaper or other paper scraps. Then place the lid on the bin, leaving it partially … of fertilizing your garden, you can add castings directly to a garden, mixing it to combine with existing soil. You can also add a small amount to indoor plant soil to feed your …
Type: Blog
… 545 native species important to Midwest habitat restoration efforts. The Garden also works with the Center for Plant Conservation to preserve seeds from 11 of the rarest species in the … the Midwest’s native plants produce seeds that can survive long-term storage in a seed bank, with some seeds remaining viable for up to 200 years. The Garden banks seeds for three main … for storage in the Seed Bank. How does seed banking work? Collecting seeds Garden staff, along with knowledgeable contractors, collect seeds from wild populations of native plants across the …
Type: Research
… anyone needing a “green fix” to a semitropical, tropical, or desert environment, filled with specialty plants that flourish in these three different climes. For more than 40 years, the … variety of ferns, gardenia, and jasmine are but a few in this category, most blooming brightly with orange, blue, pink, lavender, and scarlet flowers in winter. Masses of bougainvillea crowd … Many of them reach higher and higher for the sun, while others grow low, content to make do with filtered light. A chocolate tree grows pods of cocoa seeds, and three man-made trees hold a …
Type: Walks
