Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Vines add vertical beauty to a garden. Although most vines are desirable, some can viciously choke out other plants with their aggressive behavior. Let's look at four examples. The first two examples are annual plants, meaning that...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Most people grow vegetables in traditional gardens in rows. Large gardens can seem overwhelming, especially during the heat of summer or after a vacation. If you don't have space for that or just want to try something different, here...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I am excited to announce that we are next University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener training class begins this spring! Training begins April 17 and is held one day a week until June 19. All sessions are held on Tuesdays, and...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator While hiking at Turkey Run State Park with friends recently, we found a lot of snails sitting on stinging nettle leaves along the trails. Many of the snails had their head and antennae out of their shell, inviting us to stop...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator As you plan your summer gardens, consider adding flowers you can preserve or use in arrangements. The pleasure of growing flowers in a garden is only a portion of gardening enjoyment. Flowers and foliage that is gathered from the...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Not all bugs are bad. Many gardeners are learning to leave good bugs and tolerate a bit of plant feeding. Some of us are also using plants to attract the good guys. My colleague Richard Hentschel, University of Illinois Extension...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Public gardens are a great place to get ideas for your garden. Last month I visited three gardens in Rockford with Bradley University's OLLI program. I am inspired to add more plants to our water garden and create more succulent...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Roses are beautiful, but did you know that they are also edible? Rose flower petals and fruits (hips) add color, texture, scent, and flavor to various dishes and beverages. My go-to edible rose is the rugosa rose (R. rugosa...