Romance that came naturally
If flowers are the language of love, then Cathy Haibach and Marcus de la fleur speak a dialect that has evolved over thousands of years: the language of the prairie,...
All Stories
Romance that came naturally
If flowers are the language of love, then Cathy Haibach and Marcus de la fleur speak a dialect that has evolved over thousands of years: the language of the prairie,...
Space invaders of the plant kind
Ask around, and you'll probably hear about someone who unknowingly yanked poison ivy ( Toxicodendron radicans ) out of their yard and itched for days. "Poison ivy is an insidious...
Butterfly bush also beguiles humans
In late summer, as kids flock back to school, butterflies flitter and flutter to buddleia, aptly nicknamed butterfly bush. "Butterfly bush is one of those plants that lives up to...
Japanese beetles: Myth vs. reality
Are Japanese beetles munching your roses, grapes, birches and lindens? In a few weeks, the grubs may begin eating your lawn's roots, too. But not all of them will be...
How to nurture a mature tree
Your mature tree needs some TLC ... or rather, "PWM" — that's pruning, watering and mulching, according to Sharon Yiesla, Plant Clinic assistant at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. "People...
Pagoda dogwood’s storied past
Every tree has a story. Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), for example, used to be called pigeon berry. Turns out, its fruit-laden, horizontal branches made good perches for passenger pigeons, which...
Is the tree doctor in?
When your pet is sick, you call the vet, not the groomer, right? So if your tree needs attention, don't call a lawn specialist. Call a certified arborist, a kind...
Building a memorial park builds community too
This Memorial Day, visit a memorial park dedicated to service men and women who have given up their lives for their country. There, you can meditate on the freedoms we...
Good neighbors mind their manners — and their trees’ too
Fences make good neighbors, and trees can, too. They share cooling shade, seasonal beauty and sometimes even fruit. When the old apple tree in JoAnne Boyle's Oak Park yard finally...