Articles filed under Gardening

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  Science is showing plants can adapt to survive May 26, 2012 12:00 AM
  
  

   
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  Art in the garden: Beautiful gardens include annuals and perennials May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  The most beautiful gardens belong to those gardeners who know that constant color in their beds and borders is the result of well-chosen perennials accented with long-blooming annuals. The bloom time of many perennials is fleeting, but annuals continue to flower all summer long. In combination, they become a partnership that pays beautiful dividends.
  

   
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  Western Avenue garden planted with TLC May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  Western Avenue Elementary School students got down in the dirt Thursday planting the Geneva school's Get Up and Grow garden. It is the second full year for the garden.
  

   
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  Climate debate heats up as local gardeners change plants May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  Political debates about global warming are heating up, but local folks who scheduled outdoor weddings to correspond with the blooming of pretty plants have been left in the cold. However, the federal government officially moved us into a warmer plant zone, and that opens all kinds of new possibilities for suburban gardeners.
  

   
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  Garden club beautifies Mt. Prospect village hall May 23, 2012 12:00 AM
  If Mount Prospect village hall looks a litle prettier this week, thank the members of the Garden Club of Mount Prospect. The village had prepared a landscape plan for a perennial bed for the Keystone Plaza on the west side of the village hall, and club members agreed to install the plants.
  

   
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  Outdoor furniture making patios look more like family rooms May 21, 2012 12:00 AM
  Homeowners today are spending more time entertaining outside and they're turning to more comfortable, lounging seating options for their patios and decks. They're buying club chairs, sofas and would you believe even sectionals? We talked to some experts as part fo the Daily Herald's Get Your Summer On backyard makeover contest.
  

   
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  Planter big enough to grow produce for a variety of dishes May 20, 2012 12:00 AM
  Want to grow your own food? A window box is big enough for a surprising amount of edibles.
  

   
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  Track garden’s progress in photos, notebook May 20, 2012 12:00 AM
  Here's an idea I wish I had put into practice a long time ago: Take notes and photos of your garden all throughout the season, starting early in the process.
  

   
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  Going on vacation? Hire a sitter for your garden May 20, 2012 12:00 AM
  Gardeners don't have to feel they are chained to their plots, ever watchful for that errant weed, or the dry spell. They can hire garden sitters. Just don't ask them to do windows.
  

   
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  Container gardens can bring verdant bliss to small spaces May 20, 2012 12:00 AM
  Yearning for a natural escape but don't have the skills or space to create an urban Eden? Small gardens can be an inexpensive and quick way to improve the look of a balcony or lighten up an interior space.
  

   
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  Are this lounge chair and ottoman worth much? May 20, 2012 12:00 AM
  Q. My parents were avid antiques collectors and I have inherited some marvelous items including a classic Eames lounge chair and ottoman. We purchased them at a New Jersey department store in 1984 for $400. At the time, we were under the impression that they were authentic pieces.
  

   
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  An Asian-inspired garden makes a backyard a true retreat May 19, 2012 12:00 AM
  A waterfall splashes into a pond stocked with silver and orange koi. Stone lanterns light a winding path to a charming teahouse. An arching red bridge beckons to a secluded patio. Dwarf red Japanese maples, cherry blossoms, lavender wallflowers and magenta azaleas add pops of spring color. The Asian-inspired garden makes this backyard a true retreat, inviting relaxation.
  

   
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  Fresh produce coming soon to Fox Valley farmers marketsMay 17, 2012 12:00 AM
  Fresh, locally grown produce will soon be available at farmers markets throughout the Fox Valley and Tri-Cities. A few markets have already opened for the season. Many carry other items such as flowers, honey, soaps, meats and cheeses. Here is your guide to what is being sold where, and when.
  

   

• What makes an Asian-inspired garden? May 16, 2012 12:00 AM
  In Japan, gardening is more than plants and their care; it's a philosophy. Each element of the garden represents an ideal, a physical representation of a spiritual pursuit. And like bonsai, no garden is ever "finished." It's an evolving, living work of art.
  

   
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  How to landscape your backyard sanctuary in suburbsMay 14, 2012 12:00 AM
  When you're planning your landscaping, the first thing to do is choose your hardscaping -- the patios, decks, walks, etc. -- and then you can choose the plantings that will determine the mood of your backyard sanctuary. We consulted some experts to give you some great ideas in the Daily Herald Get Your Summer On backyard makever contest.
  

   

• Week 2 finalists for Get Your Summer On backyard makeover contest May 13, 2012 12:00 AM
  Week 2 of our Get Your Summer On series and backyard makeover contest brings four more finalists, as well as some advice on how to landscape your yard to fit your dreams. This week, find out how to relax with a spa, arrange seating to enjoy your gorgeous backyard view, build a landscaping plan to wow your neighbors and place lighting to enjoy your yard into the evening.
  

   
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  Backyard makeover contest Week 2: Blank slate May 13, 2012 12:00 AM
  A blank slate makes it hard to enjoy the backyard, but this one in Elgin provides a clean palette for designers to create an entertainment area with a paved patio, a seating wall, and a host of low-maintenance plantings including ornamental grasses, shrubs, perennials and a few trees. Lurvey Garden Center created this design for the Daily Herald Get Your Summer On backyard makeover contest.
  

   
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  Backyard makeover Week 2: Yard needs an attitude adjustment May 13, 2012 12:00 AM
  An Elk Grove Village family would like to improve their backyard to accommodate their many summertime gatherings. As part of the Daily Herald's Get Your Summer On backyard makeover contest, NorthWest Electrical Supply came up with a plan that includes lighting the trees as well as the decking area to create dramatic focal points.
  

   
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  Fountains and ponds continue to improveMay 12, 2012 12:00 AM
  The sound of running water in a yard fascinates and soothes most people. That is why fountains, ponds, waterfalls and streams are popular with so many homeowners, especially those who also enjoy having native landscaping around their homes, said Jennifer Zuri, marketing and communications manager for Aquascapes Inc. of St. Charles and Lisle.
  

   
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  Grow the flowers for your arrangements May 12, 2012 12:00 AM
  You can grow an assortment of flowers, foliage plants and grasses to enjoy indoors in vases all year long. Lenten roses are one of spring's earliest bloomers. It lasts in a vase easily up to two weeks. Bergenia, another early-blooming perennial, produces spikes of pink, white or rose flowers that last up to a week in a vase.