The thick-stemmed wood fern is native to the forests of northern eastern asia where it thrives as an understory plant on the forest floor with filtered light. It is an attractive vase shaped plant that retains its leaves in winter, although they lie flat on the ground to protect the crown and rootball through the winter. The fronds can be cut back in spring to encourage new growth. This fern …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Giant desert candle’s botanical name comes from the Greek words eremos — solitary and oura — tail, a reference to the plant's flower spike which towers above its long, narrow foliage. The roots originate from a rhizome with the roots extending from a central crown, which must be handled with care when planting because the roots can be brittle. From May to August, giant desert candle produces a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra Maxima', also known as crown imperial fritillary, produces dark orange flowers held pendulously beneath a tuft of leaves; visually, their inflorescence resembles a pineapple. This is the best cultivar among all of the Fritillaria imperialis offerings for naturalizing in the Chicago area. The plant prefers well-drained soils that are moist during late winter through …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Often seen in floral arrangements and bouquets, ‘Lucifer’ is an eye-catching cultivar with brilliant red, tubular flowers that appear in mid-summer on arching 3-foot-tall stems. Its leaves are pleated and swordlike and emerge from a corm. Crocosmias like it warm, and although ‘Lucifer’ is considered the hardiest for the Chicago area, it is best planted in full sun in a south-facing location close …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
This semi-succulent plant from Zanzibar in tropical east Africa can form a clump up to 4 feet tall but is usually 3 feet tall. It has attractive rippled, undulating, dark green leaves, smudged with light green and reddish margins. Its very showy white flowers are in rounded clusters that arise on a stout inflorescence from the center of the plant. This plant will tolerate low light levels but …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Starting in midsummer and continuing through fall, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Brussels Lace’ panicle hydrangea has branch tips that are graced with masses of small, white fertile flowers surrounded by sterile, large, showy white petals that age to pink. The cone-shaped flower panicles grow to 8 inches in height. Growing to 6 feet-by-5-feet, this cultivar is ideal for the smaller garden or where space …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Throughout early and late fall, the branch tips of Tardiva panicle hydrangea ( Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva') are graced with masses of small, white, fertile flowers, surrounded by sterile, large, showy white petals that age to pink. One of the larger panicle hydrangeas, this cultivar can grow to 6 to 8 feet tall, and can be trained to a tree form. It requires regular watering in extreme heat. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Hidcote St. Johnswort is a stoloniferous shrub that grows to a height of 18 to 24 inches and spreads as wide or wider. Flowers almost 1 inch in diameter have bright yellow petals with reddish anthers. Peak bloom occurs in June and early July; however, flowers continue to appear into fall. This woody ground cover is evergreen farther south and semi-evergreen in mild Illinois winters. Renewal- …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Online and On-site Hybrid Learn tips and techniques used by professional gardeners through a combination of lecture and hands-on activities. Acquire solid gardening skills and determine best management practices. Discover fall planting techniques, bulbs, turf care, plant wildlife protection, garden maintenance, and winterization. Thursday class sessions will be taught online via Zoom and …
Type: Item Detail
The reddish-purple flowers of the Victor P.J.M. hybrid rhododendron ( Rhododendron 'P.J.M. Victor') are produced a couple of days earlier than other selections of the P.J.M. grex of rhododendrons. The leaves change from deep green to a mahogany color in late fall and, in a mild winter, will remain on the plants until spring. P.J.M. rhododendrons are among the most reliable and commonly sold …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
