… When we moved to Highland Park in 2020 it was the dead of winter—plenty of time to figure out the whole lawn care question. And we imagined something beyond a traditional grass … squirrels, bats, rabbits, field mice, red foxes, and even the occasional deer and coyote. It is heartening to see all these hallmarks of a thriving ecosystem, none of which we’d have enjoyed …
Type: Blog
… This bulb needs full sun and moist soil conditions to reach a height of 2 feet. From May to August it produces blue and purple blooms that attract birds and butterflies. It belongs in a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… <p>This clump-forming evergreen perennial grows to a height of 3 feet with full sun and moderate moisture conditions. From early spring to early fall it produces purple and red flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. </p> …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… by Bev Wigney . Deer mice, or white-footed mice, are among the animals you are most likely to see at the Garden in winter—or at least you may see their tracks. And you might hear the hoot of an owl or see the tracks of coyotes, which are also looking for mice. We tend to think of winter as a time when animals curl up and hibernate like bears. Many do, such as the … day, Steffen said. They hunt spiders, earthworms, and beetle larvae under the snow. Winter is a great time to observe a number of bird species at the Garden. Cedar waxwing eating …
Type: Plant Info
… Garden, Glencoe, IL Tour Leader: Plant Evaluation Gardens: A Climate Lens Richard Hawke is responsible for the comparative evaluation of more than 1,200 taxa of herbaceous and woody plants in the Plant Evaluation Program. The program is one of the largest and most diverse in the nation, and received the Award for Program … from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has managed the Garden’s trials since 1986. He is the author of Plant Evaluation Notes, a periodic publication reporting the results of the …
Type: Page
… but it often overshadows the concerns ecologists have about our own native bees. Illinois is home to about 500 species of bees that are important pollinators in natural areas, in agricultural … fascinating creatures range in size from the ¼-inch mining bees and metallic green sweat bees to inch-long bumblebees. Their names are beguiling—cuckoo bees, hibiscus turret bees, cellophane …
Type: Plant Info
… Can I actually plant this root and cultivate it as a houseplant? A. Zingiber officinale is a beautiful tropical plant (hardy in zone 10) that produces tall (2-foot), reed-like stems and … dense flower spikes. The rhizome from which it grows is the common ginger of cuisine. Native to India and Malaysia, this ginger would be difficult to grow without a greenhouse. If you want to take on this project, however, plant the rhizome in …
Type: Plant Info
… Did you know you can grow kiwis right in your own back yard? The fruit of 'Rosanna' kiwi vine is a cousin of the fuzzy grocery store kiwis. The berries have the same sweet-and-citrus taste, … C than fuzzy kiwis. This particular variety comes from Italy. It's vigorous and hardy down to -35, And it's happy in full sun or part shade, though you'll get a better crop in full sun. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Red Jade crabapple is notable for its weeping habit. Its deep pink buds open into white flowers and are followed by … are small flowering trees that provide a showy display in the spring landscape for one to two weeks. In addition to the eye-catching buds and flowers, their foliage, habit, and fruit make them attractive plants …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… ARCTIC SUN™ blood-twig dogwood is a dwarf cultivar sometimes commonly called yellow twig dogwood because its winter stems are … red tips -- by far its most distinguishing feature. It forms a dense, twiggy shrub and tends to sucker and colonize. Small white flowers in spring are followed by black fruit. Members of the … -- be it flowers, fruit, foliage, and/or bark -- and their range of forms from small trees to suckering shrubs. The dominant display, however, varies among the species. Dogwoods are native …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
