… in early summer with pale lavender (almost white) flowers. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow and long-lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks … are common; new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3-8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer moist, loamy soil enriched with organic matter. Some leaf damage by slugs is to be expected. Deer find hosta delicious. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The fastigiate English oak is a columnar form of the species. This cultivar and related hybrid columnar forms are proving … more useful in the U.S. than the species itself. These cultivars should be sited in full sun to reduce the potential for mildew in our humid summers. The genus Quercus includes more than 600 species of the oak tree, of which 90 are native to North America; the Chicago Botanic Garden's collection contains more than 60 varieties and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… of semi-double pink roses with a strong old rose fragrance. As individual flowers fade to white, the clusters become two-tone. As the flowers begin to open, the petals have the look of slightly crumpled tissue paper. Fully open, they're … hips (seed pods), in late summer that persist well into winter and feed the birds. 'Celsiana' is a relatively large rose, up to 6 feet tall and 4 feet across, so give it room either in back …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… heavily pleated leaves unfold. By summer, those large, horse-chestnut like leaves have matured to green tinged with bronze, and the deep red stems bearing bright pink flowers appear. Even when bloom is done, the seed heads are attractive in their own right. In the shade garden, Rodgersias give you a bold counterpoint to the delicate airy foliage common to so many shade plants in our area. The leaves of certain …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Description: This is one of two visible woodpecker species with red highlights on its head. It is more common than the red-headed woodpecker. Look for this species in the McDonald Woods or at …
Type: Birding
… 'Carlson’s Red Cone' is a spruce with bluish-green foliage. Its name is derived from the wine-red growth that sprouts from its tips in the spring. Grow as a specimen …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… the flowering cycle for fall blooming colchicums. All parts of the plant are poisonous to people and animals alike. Extracts were once prescribed to treat a variety of ailments before the side effects were fully understood. A chemical known as … but beneficial effects on animals are less common. An infamous nineteenth century murderess is thought to have used Colchicum to poison her victims. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Lilium ‘American Way’ has very large bright yellow flowers in early to mid summer. The flowers are huge, measuring 9 to 12 inches across and are borne on stems which can reach 6 feet. The blooms have a delightful fragrance and face outward with thick recurved petals. American Way is an Orienpet lily, a cross between an Oriental lily and a Trumpet lily which combines the tall, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Lilium ‘Cote d’Azur’ has flowers with a brilliant fuchsia center which fades to a lighter pink at the ends of the petals. The petals are lightly speckled. The blooms are upfacing with reflexed petals curving backward. The stems stand 36 inches high and bear up to 12 flowers per bulb. Cote d’Azur is an Asiatic hybrid. Asiatic lilies generally bloom earlier than other lilies and will have a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This horizontal shrub grows to a height of 18 inches with full sun to partial shade and moist soil conditions. It has yellow blooms in early spring. It is good in a border or as a ground cover. Members of the genus Salix are commonly known as …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
