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A picture of two blooms of wild columbine
Using wild columbine at home
During the flowering lull of late spring in my home gardens, I often admire the unique, dangling blooms of our native wild columbine (Aquilegia...
Champion Trees: Winning in size and wonder large spreading tree canopy backlit by sun green foliage
Champion Trees: Winning in size and wonder
Illinois Extension is a resource available for all community members. We work hard to help residents find answers to burning questions, and solutions...
a patch of Little Barley grass
Identifying Little Barley, a weedy spring annual
As someone who pays close attention to plants, weeding becomes an interesting chore. Instead of just looking for plants that are different than what...
Monarch caterpillar feeds on orange butterflyweed
Monarchs and milkweeds - nativars help pollinators
Among gardeners, there is an ever-growing interest in creating plant arrangements that support pollinators.  This has been driven by recent research...
bunch of a sedge in bloom
Telling apart grasses, sedges, rushes
This time of year, I start getting emails with questions about how to identify grasses that people find growing in their yard. After reviewing...
Redbuds: a great addition to any landscape. Branches of a redbud tree coer
Redbuds are a great addition to any landscape
While spring-blooming bulbs get much of our attention in the spring, flowering trees shouldn’t be overlooked. One of the best trees for spring color...
Trillium: Good things come in threes group of white trillium blooming on woodland floor
Trillium: Good things come in threes
In my last blog post, I shared my affection for bloodroot and boldly claimed that “among the myriad of spring blooms, few thrill me as much as...
A favorite spring ephemeral: Bloodroot group of bloodroot plants on woodland floor single green leaves curled around stem of white blossom still cupped ready to open
A favorite spring ephemeral: Bloodroot
My family dedicates an entire weekend to a walkabout in our woodlands each spring. The timing of the retreat is not left to chance, we mark it on...

News Releases

sign with plants around it; sign reads IDEA garden
Kane County Master Gardeners host sale June 17 at Idea Garden
ST. CHARLES, Ill. – Pick up plants and goodies for your own garden, and then tour the 2023 Kane County Master Gardener Idea Garden on Saturday, June 17 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. in St. Charles. The Kane County Master Gardener Plant and Garden Sale includes perennials, natives, vegetables,...
Screen capture of a website showing a red blooming flower next to a digital map showing its location in the Red Oak Rain Garden
Virtual map provides a tool for rain garden stewardship
URBANA, Ill. – When caring for a rain garden, one of the most helpful tools may not be a rake or a pruner, but a map. The Red Oak Rain Garden interactive map shows the layout of the garden’s native plant placement. This makes maintenance easier and also helps visitors learn about the...
Invasive Maackii fruit plant with text overlay reading Illinois Invasive Species Symposium
Symposium offers 9 sessions on understanding and controlling invasive species
URBANA, Ill. — Illinois is home to beautiful wild spaces, but invasive species are a growing threat in our forests, lakes, backyards, and agricultural fields. Invasive species pose a serious threat to native species and natural ecosystems and cost the country billions of dollars to combat....

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