… This native of Madagascar can grow up to 15 feet high with full sun to partial shade and dry conditions. From late winter to early summer it produces large white flowers that attract birds and butterflies. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This mat-forming perennial grows to a height of 3 feet with partial shade to full shade and moderate to wet soil conditions. It has showy, fragrant, yellowish-white blooms in March and April and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden is the place to explore small-space gardening. Seven Basil Types Planted at the Regenstein … different basil varieties, laid out in a pinwheel design, and all grown from seed. It’s enough to make a gardener’s—or a foodie’s—head spin with plans for dinner…and for your own herb garden. …
Type: Blog
… Bronze Giant garden mum ( Chrysanthemum 'Bronze Giant') was released to the gardening public in 1956, and since then it has proven to be hardy as far north as Minnesota. Five-inch blossoms of bronze-orange are produced in October from plants reaching up to 3 feet in height and 15 inches in width. To increase winter hardiness, avoid applying …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Some cultivars stand the test of time. Thomas Edison was introduced to horticulture in 1929 and remains a favorite of gardeners world wide. Deep purple petals are … in an informal decorative style flower and appear in late July with flowering continuing up to the first heavy frosts of fall. Pollinators are drawn to the flowers and seed eating songbirds will gladly gather to feast upon the ripened seeds in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Deep burgundy petals surround the large ebony center on this annual sunflower that grows up to 6 feet tall. Plant this sunflower in full sun and in average soils, and sit back to watch the goldfinches, hummingbirds, and bees of all kinds visit the flowers. Thin but strong side shoots produce slightly smaller flowers to continue the flowering season for weeks after the main flower has started to produce seeds. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 'Indian Summer'), a cultivar derived from native North American species. Butterflies love to visit the flowers for their nectar, while various seed-eating songbirds flock to the dried flower heads for ripe seeds in fall. Plant this one in full sun, and water only enough to establish the plant root system; then kick back to enjoy. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… a question we heard a lot from Spike’s visitors this past weekend. The titan arum, native to the rainforests of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, was first “discovered” by Italian … August 6, 1878, he first observed the leaves and fruits of a plant (interestingly, August 6 is the date we put Spike on public view!) . Several weeks later, Beccari saw a flowering plant for the first time. He sent a few tubers and seeds to Florence, Italy, but the tubers all perished; a few seeds, however, eventually germinated. One …
Type: Blog
… the Chicago Botanic Garden has been tracking the recent rains. We know many of you are anxious to get planting done—it is spring, right? But we encourage caution and patience. If it squishes, wait. Working with wet soil and turf damages it. Here are tips to help gardeners navigate Chicago’s spring: Wait until the soil dries out to get back in your …
Type: Blog
… How to relax in nature, even when you can’t get away? Daydream, according to the American Heart Association. Start a bucket list. Even just the thought of escaping into … So we asked some of them: What plant would you most like to see in the wild? The common thread is that there is no common thread. These are not your garden-variety plant lovers. These are …
Type: Blog