Knowledge and resources about plants and planting are so vast they can be overwhelming. The best approach is to take advantage of information based on your areas of interest and then seek the guidance of a plant professional. Your local nursery or garden center has inspired people ready to offer advice.
Spring is here, and as the days grow longer and the soil warms, eager gardeners have spades and seedlings at the ready. Experienced gardeners are especially aware of seasonal cues, which inform their actions throughout the planting and growing seasons.
It’s spring in the Chicagoland area and that means one thing. It’s raining season! As water comes down, you may be noticing an excessive collection of rain water in certain areas of your property. We call these water traps and they are common landscaping issues that many homeowners are looking to find a solution.
When you plant privacy trees what you’re doing is planting an extension of your home, if you will. So don’t hesitate to sit down and take a few minutes to draw up a design, one that you know you will love and enjoy for many years to come.
Soil is the foundation and is key to the success of your garden. You can achieve strong results in a wide range of garden soil, although some soils are easier than others. The first important step is understanding the type of soil you have.
Most of us probably remember this popular nursery rhyme; Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow? While we aren’t likely to be growing silver bells, cockleshells and pretty maids all in a row, we are interested in how our gardens grow. Gardening tends to be a skill that is learned best by doing.
One of the surest signs that spring has arrived each year is the blooming of the Bradford pear trees. Widely planted as a street tree, in the parking lots of malls and offices, and in home landscapes, they’re impossible to miss: oval-canopied trees with a mantle of white flowers so thick that it almost resembles snow.
Sometimes, temperatures in August make it to hot to think, yet work in the garden. That’s when you move to the shade. You can create a little sanctuary for yourself (and a few lucky friends) with the addition of shade-loving plants, a water source such as a gurgling fountain and a colorful patio umbrella if you don’t have mature trees nearby.
In recent years, gardeners have become increasingly interested in maximizing the benefits their garden spaces can provide for pollinating insects.
Trees and shrubs are valuable elements in both public and private landscapes, and the wise investment of time and careful selection will only increase their value.
Monarchs and milkweed. They go together like a horse and carriage! Every gardener knows this now because of the recent public media campaign to save the Monarch butterflies from extinction.
