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Blog Posts

Purple Lovegrass in a native bed
Grasses: Beyond the Lawn
Grasses are an often-underappreciated component of landscaping.  They don’t have the showy flowers of many forbs and are thus overlooked. ...
field of little bluestem
Little Bluestem, a showstopper in fall
Fall is here, and while some days feel much more fall-like than others, you can’t deny that trees are putting on their fall colors, herbaceous plants...
A wooden frame holding native seed collected at Nachusa Grasslands in Northern Illinois
Beginner’s Guide to Collecting Native Seeds for Autumn
Autumn is a time for…life? This may seem perplexing, as we often link fall with plants dying, wildlife migrating, and us retreating indoors. However...
A monarch butterfly upside down on a New England Aster Flower.
The Monarch Mystery: Exploring population declines and rebounds
Throughout the summer, I talked to quite a few people who were concerned about the low numbers of monarch butterflies this year.  Some of this...
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News Releases

milkweed plant with seeds
Extension Master Gardeners offer native seed saving program in Rochelle
Ogle County Extension Master Gardeners are partnering with Flagg-Rochelle Public Library to offer the Native Plant Seed Saving program. Native plants occur naturally and have existed for many years in a particular region. This free workshop is on Thursday, November 14, from 6 to 7 pm at the...
yellow native flowers bloom in a garden with a background of people on a bridge
Nature-inspired sustainable student art on display at Red Oak Rain Garden
URBANA, Ill. — Nature at the Red Oak Rain Garden celebrates autumn with the bright purples of blooming aster flowers, a mosaic of tree leaves drifting slowly to the ground, and the nighttime chorus of insects and owls as twilight settles in. This October, the “Illuminating Art in Nature”...
Yellow flower petals and seed heads covered in snow.
Consider plants with winter interest in landscapes
URBANA, Ill. — Sitting by the crackling fireplace, wrapped in a cozy blanket inside our homes this winter, the appreciation for the outdoors is limited to the scenes framed by a frosty windowpane. Consider incorporating some plants into the landscape that create dazzling winter interest with...
Up close view of light purple berries growing on a green beautyberry plant.
Garden into fall with tips, plants built for seasonal design
URBANA, Ill. — Fall can be a surprise when it arrives, but planning for the seasonal transition can keep the garden looking great until frost.Most gardeners can show their success by battling the summer temperatures, sometimes watering twice daily to keep the plants alive. As summer...
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Videos

Reduce Flooding & Water Pollution with Rain Gardens and Native Plants

Rain gardens and native plants incorporated into home and business landscapes can help to reduce localized flooding, improve local water quality, provide habitat for wildlife, and much more. Learn how to consider natural options to handle rain runoff and walk through the recent renovation of the...

KILL Your Callery Pear & Burning Bush and plant these instead

Are they invasive? Not legally in the state of Illinois. (Yet!) But we are seeing Callery pear and burning bush escape from our yards into natural areas across the state. Today Ken and Chris talk about these two plants, give some background, and then what we can plant instead of these baddies!...

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