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  • … that open lilac purple with a touch of yellow and fade to dusty lavender purple. This cultivar is an introduction from the hybridizing program of Walters Gardens. Members of the genus Baptisia … as wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the blooms of native species may be blue, yellow or white and the blooms …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … flower spikes on charcoal stems above a vase-shaped mound of blue-green foliage. This cultivar is part of the DECADENCE® series of baptisia developed by Walters Gardens. Members of the genus … as wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the blooms of native species may be blue, yellow or white and the blooms …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Melissa Blue false indigo is a dwarf variety selected from seeds collected in the wild near Melissa, Texas. Abundant blue … as wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the blooms of native species may be blue, yellow or white and the blooms …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Lilium martagon is a light to deep pink, but may also have shades of yellow or red. This species is also known as turk's cap lily because of the shape of the flowers. The stems stand 5 feet tall …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … infected sites with a strong spray of water (aphids catch cold). Control of Japanese beetles is more problematic, however, and they have to be hand-picked from the plant. Adult Japanese … the applications of spores to turf areas that feed upon the developing larvae. This cultivar is a sport (bud mutation) that produces more flowers than the parent plant, Rosa ‘Iceberg’. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … helping your garden to age gracefully. While a mature, lush, beautifully maintained landscape is every gardener's dream, Mother Nature (and time) aren't always on the same page that you are. … will be moved to other locations in the Garden. Spider Island a few years after renovation is a sanctuary of dappled shade and vivid color in the fall, thick with native shoreline plants, … work. Mature tree questions? Consult your local forester or arborist first, and request an on-site visit. Their expertise and knowledge of the neighborhood "forest" will give you fresh …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … research scientist   2.  Meadow mania
 The “meadow” or “prairie” approach to landscaping is blossoming in popularity as gardeners embrace eco-conscious ways to design their spaces. By … and yarrow, homeowners are creating vibrant, climate-resilient landscapes. A standout for 2025 is short-toothed mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum muticum ), the Perennial Plant of the Year. This native gem is drought-tolerant and a magnet for pollinators—a perfect addition to meadow-style gardens. To …
    Type: Blog
  • … Nymphaea Waterlily is very fond of floating in a sunny pond. Tantalizing little creature, likes to grow where one can't reach her. – Elizabeth Gordon Nymphaea is the beautifully named genus for about half of all waterlily species. (The Nymphaeaceae family … 'Plum Crazy' Hardy : Nymphaea 'Sunfire'   Small or Large The most important size to consider is the spread—these long-armed plants can reach out many feet in all directions. Small : Nymphaea …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … whose autumnal leaf drop naturally enriches the soil. More than Plants Share this Woods Spring is when more than 100 migrating and resident birds pass through, seeking shelter, insects, seeds, … bells plus scalloped foliage reminiscent of columbine mean false rue anemone. Wild geranium is easy to spot, but the familiar pink flowers will arrive only after the clumps of foliage have … below the soil.   Invasive Plants Destroy Diversity In the McDonald Woods, what you don’t see is as important as what you do see. The open spaces; the absence of garlic mustard, which used to …
    Type: Walks
  • … steep prairie hillsides and swampy lowlands as a Plants of Concern volunteer, his mission is, at once, straightforward and profound: find endangered plants, count them, and alert the land … “I was surprised at just how much of a personal investment I’ve taken. When a plant population is doing well, I feel like a proud parent.” Plants of Concern—a community science program at the … ). Once classified as endangered in Illinois, it grows in swampy, hard-to-reach places and is easy to overlook. After volunteers began reporting swollen sedge populations in new locations, …
    Type: Blog