What do the bees do in October?What do the bees do in October?
If you have New England aster in your garden, they keep foraging like mad.
In my garden the bees were all over my ‘Hella Lacy’ aster this morning, and I was very glad to see them. My shorter asters have now stopped blooming and are going to seed, but ‘Hella Lacy’ is a late bloomer and I’ve seen it feeding monarchs in October fueling up for their trip to Mexico.
White for FallThey used to say you’re not supposed to wear white shoes after the first of September but in the garden, white is the great new fall color, and at my house it’s absolutely au courant.
Almost overnight, the sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora) that my neighbor planted on her side of the fence (but which has decided it likes my side better) burst into bloom. A few flowers arrived on the first of September, and a thrilling foamy white cascade of blossoms just one day later.
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Blog
On a sunny winter day a few years ago, I strolled into our Palos-area garden looking for signs of snowdrops
Columns
The folks in the editorial office tell me that this issue is about planning. I’m taking their word for it, since they don’t ...
Columns
It’s great to be traditional, but sometimes we’d like to do a variation on the familiar theme
Features
This Chicago garden attracts an astonishing variety of butterflies thanks to the biodiversity it offers in a neighborhood.
Columns
If ever there was dark side to an avocation based on goodness and light, it is the idea of a “gardening competition.”
questions
What is the best time to plant a tree in northern Illinois?
I’m moving to a townhouse with limited direct sunlight. I would like to put a Japanese maple in a north-facing garden but don’t know if it will do well. What are the best kinds? Also, when is the best time to plant a small tree?
I have two 20-year-old pine trees whose needles are turning brown on the west side of the plants. On the east side I have a compost pile.
I live in the St. Charles region and my soil is mostly clay. What is causing the browning? Should I get rid of the compost? How do I correct the damage?
