… Black dragon coleus is a dramatic annual plant with showy ruffled leaves. The centers of the leaves are bright red …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… winter to protect it from the cold. Stokes' aster, native to the southeastern United States, is distinguished by its handsome evergreen foliage, but its flowers are really its best feature. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… A walk through the Dwarf Conifer Garden is truly a plant lover’s feast for the eyes. It’s difficult to decide where to look next; what … specimens await behind the bend in the path, or tempt at the top of the steps. The garden is sited on a hill, where this fascinating group of plants known as dwarf conifers can receive … looking to integrate dwarf conifers into their own gardens. Miniature conifers grow less than 1 inch a year and are less than 1 foot after 10 years; dwarf conifers grow 1 to 6 inches a year …
Type: Walks
… community engagement manager, will be there to show people how to use the Budburst app, which is available on iOS or Android . The event, which starts at 11 a.m., includes a guided walk … —really just anyone who has an interest in plants. That’s usually the entry point.” Fall is a great time to observe changes in the woods, said Matt Evans, the Garden’s managing ecologist … fun and interesting near you, take a picture, try to identify it, and let us know what you see—is this the beginning of leaf color change or the end? Are the leaves falling off the tree yet? …
Type: Blog
… much joy and satisfaction, but the blooms never last as long as you would like. My first urge is to take pictures. But there is another way to preserve this ephemeral beauty: drying flowers. If you’ve walked through the … A great native flower to try. The blue flowers stay true. Lady’s mantle: In most cases, it is best to remove the leaves before drying—lady’s mantle is the exception. Sunflowers: …
Type: Blog
… or attracting butterflies. They can help children discover nature. And…creating a theme garden is just plain fun. Here’s a look at some popular planting themes.  Of all the creatures that … the size of a thumbnail—that are just as fun to attract and to watch. A butterfly garden is simply one that offers nectar for the adults and certain plants for their caterpillars. Nectar … cloth or in a sheet of wax paper. This helps release the aromatic oils. For each cup of tea: 1 teaspoon dried herbs (or 3 teaspoons freshly picked herbs)                1 cup boiling water …
Type: Plant Info
… The most common tree in the Chicago area is from Europe—and that’s bad news for our native plants and animals. Introduced to the United … an area, almost nothing can grow under it. Photos by Jim Steffen and Matt Evans. Why buckthorn is bad for native plants and animals The plants and animals of our native woodlands, wetlands, … hinders the growth of other plants. The chemical can linger in the soil even after buckthorn is removed and can harm frogs and other amphibians. Seeding success – Buckthorn seeds have a high …
Type: Blog
… and herbs than you might find at a local garden center. And it can save you some big bucks. A 1-gallon pot of purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), for example, may cost $8 to $10. A … for the right conditions to germinate. One of the most satisfying things a gardener can do is plant a seed, nurture it, and watch it grow. It’s an enjoyable way to connect with nature. And … adventure for children and adults.  Here’s another reason to think about sowing seeds: a seed is a tiny time capsule connecting the future to the past. In 1812, Thomas Jefferson grew Painted …
Type: Plant Info
… tiny soil organisms—all of which evolved with the plants. (One well-known example is the monarch butterfly, which only lays its eggs on milkweed ( Asclepias ) species. The … and attract some butterflies, but most are not native to the United States. However, there is a native woodland sedum, aka wild stonecrop— Sedum ternatum . It is the only sedum species native to central and northern Illinois. A miner bee visits the sedum …
Type: Plant Info
… they offer the home gardener outstanding foliage plus a long bloom time, learning their ways is well worth the time. Most of the 1,500 species and 10,000 begonia hybrids share a few common cultural requirements. They like … during the daytime and no cooler than 60 degrees at night. Water the plants when the soil is dry. Noted begonia expert Tovah Martin revealed that she and her begonias "slowly developed an …
Type: Plant Info
