… jade green outer petals, or corolla lobes, are slightly cupped forward. Five spoon-shaped pink to purple petals with white spots nestle in the center. In late summer to fall, narrow, 4-inch long, curved follicles (seedpods) form and split open, releasing seeds … of Illinois but is more abundant in Kansas and Texas, where it is an important species to migrating monarch butterflies. Plants do not transplant well due to long rhizomes, and seed …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… fall foliage color. The genus Deutzia consists of medium sized flowering shrubs native to Asia, generally with slender stems and a fine-textured arching habit. The clusters of small … and cultivars. Deutzias are best used grouped in informal settings as a hedge or background to a border. These shrubs may benefit from occasional renewal pruning to maintain their dense attractive habit. In their native Asia, members of the genus Deutzia are …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Nancy, France, before 1910. The genus Deutzia consists of medium sized flowering shrubs native to Asia, generally with slender stems and a fine-textured arching habit. The clusters of small … and cultivars. Deutzias are best used grouped in informal settings as a hedge or background to a border. These shrubs may benefit from occasional renewal pruning to maintain their dense attractive habit. In their native Asia, members of the genus Deutzia are …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… spider mums are produced at the ends of tall stems early in the spider mum season (September to October in Chicago gardens). Tall growing, it will need to be planted near the back of the flower bed and staked. It can be disbudded (remove the lateral or side buds) to create a single flower or left to flower naturally, which will create a bouquet of flowers. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society in the 18th century, forsythias are medium to large shrubs that produce four- petaled clusters of bell-shaped flowers in the axils of the stiff, rough branches. These Asian shrubs are very adaptable to poor soils and varying moisture, but the flower buds may be tender on older cultivars. Pruning is best done immediately after flowering, giving new growth time to form flower buds. Never shear forsythias into “green meatballs”, as their natural shapes are …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… a strong fragrance. The unsurpassed grace and beauty of this lily makes it a lovely addition to the garden. Lilies love full sun, but will do well in partial shade. Martagon lilies are most the adapted to shade. They tolerate hot summer days, as long as the bulbs are deep enough to remain cool. Lower plants surrounding the lilies will help protect their roots from drying …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… has mophead flowers which bloom from May through June on old wood and on new wood from July to October. Flower color is dependent on the soil in which the hydrangea is planted – blue in … dried flowers are attractive and persist throughout the winter. Although the plant is hardy to Chicago’s Zone 5, it benefits from a sheltered site, winter mulch and burlap wrap to protect the buds and stems from dying to the ground during a harsh winter. Plant in moist soil …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… A definite tropical vibe. The color development varies with time and sun exposure. Green to start, with red veins, more red tones with more sun and towards the end of the summer, but the chartreuse edging remains consistent. White flowers scapes appear in late spring to early summer adding height and a frothy aspect, but the foliage is the outstanding feature. … Mature size is a leafy clump 8 inches tall b y 12 inches wide, flowers can increase the height to 24 inches. Would look fantastic in a mixed container planting, front of a shady perennial …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… change color depending on the season: In early summer they are white, by mid-summer they begin to turn pink, and by fall they will have turned ruby red. That's why this plant is called 'Ruby Slippers!' Ruby Slippers oak-leaf hydrangea is derived from a shrub that is native to the moist woods of eastern north America. This plant has a dwarf form only reaching three to four feet in height and about four to five feet in width. It prefers rich, consistently moist …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… known as willows. These woody plants range in size from the imposing weeping willow tree to small shrubs. While not fussy about soil quality, they generally require moderate to wet soil moisture. In the wild, willows are commonly found near streams, rivers and ponds. In cultivation, willows are often used to control erosion in such areas. They are easily propagated from cuttings; willows root and grow …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
