Timeline Through Landscape Design

Late spring to early summer is a good time to incorporate perennials into the garden. As you contemplate plant selection, why not consider butterfly weed, named the 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year™ by the Perennial Plant Association. Butterfly weed ( Asclepias tuberosa ) is a well-behaved, easy-care plant native to Illinois. It is common in most regions of the state, except in some west...

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Spring will be arriving soon, and with the new season comes brand new foliage followed by a burst of flowers. Gardeners poking around the yard may discover plants emerging here and there. Some of the earliest of these plants are native spring ephemerals. Ephemerals, or short-lived plants, are often misunderstood and I refer to them as the mystery plants of the Eastern U.S. deciduous for...

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West Cook Wild Ones Presents: The Naturally Beautiful Garden Conference 2017 Saturday, February 11, 2017 from 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM Triton College Performing Arts Center, River Grove, IL. 60171. I highly recommend this conference if you are looking into incorporating native plants in your yard. Two great speakers are on the agenda. Read more below and click...

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Extension is hosting an upcoming workshop that may interest you. First Detector workshops bring awareness to pests and diseases that are invading our region. Space is limited, so be sure to register soon. If the south suburban (Orland Park) session is full, please contact me to learn about other regional workshops. The details are posted below. First Detector Workshop...

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In our Illinois climate, gardeners can take advantage of the changing seasons with landscape plants that show their true colors in winter. Just as a gardener plans a perennial flower bed based on bloom times, you should think about the larger characteristics of the landscape by selecting trees, shrubs, grasses, and groundcovers with showy winter features. Many plants will make a fine display, w...

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As your plants may be looking a little sad or dwindling down as temperatures cool, some of you may be wondering if you should fertilize these plants. When it comes to fertilizing trees and shrubs at this time, the answer is NO. Fertilizing woody plants (trees and shrubs) while they are still actively growing in late summer will result in a flush of growth that may not have time to harden off be...

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The garden season has been keeping me busy and I apologize for the lack of recent posts. I wanted to maintain contact with my readers, so, I am sharing a few links regarding rose care. Now is a good time to deadhead or remove those spent flowers on your roses. Deadheading basically tricks the plant into producing more flowers so the plant can ultimately produce fruit and seed. If you are unsur...

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