Last week, our office staff in the design and maintenance divisions attended the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association’s annual trade show, iLandscape. We were inspired by new products, from landscaping to hardscaping and everything in-between. Here are some of our favorites. Plants Photos courtesy of Midwest Groundcovers. Plant scientists are continuously cultivating improved [...]
In early February, our office closed for three days as we attended the annual Illinois Landscape Contractor Association's trade show, iLandscape. Informational sessions and a bustling showroom gave each of us fresh ideas on design, construction, professionalism and more. We want to share with you 6 interesting things we learned at iLandscape. 1) New plants [...]
Living in the Northern Chicago suburbs means abundant parks and forest preserves along with various critters ready to snack on our gardens. Here are six deer- and rabbit-resistant shrubs that will discourage them from feasting on your plants. Deer and rabbits dislike Butterflies Diervilla (Diervilla sessilifolia ‘Butterfly’), although butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy its sweet-tasting yellow flowers [...]
Here are some of the noteworthy plants and products for outdoor living that we discovered last month during iLandscape, our annual industry trade show. New Plants: Fiber Optics Buttonbush is a variety of the native shrub with showy globe-shaped flowers. Bears fruit and nectar that supports wildlife. Prefers wet locations. 5-6’ h. Full sun. Summer Ruffle Hibiscus is [...]
Is there an area in your yard that lacks interest? Is there an area in your yard that just won’t grow healthy grass? Is your parkway uninspiring? This spring, instead of spending another year dissatisfied with it, consider filling this space with grass alternatives. By using lesser known groundcovers and ornamental grasses, these spaces can be [...]
We are all relieved to witness the demise of winter, but saddened to discover the toll it's taken on our gardens. If you have lost a plant or two, now is a great time to think about replacing it. To continue an earlier post, here are more plants we recommend that will bring you years [...]
Each year there are countless plant varieties that are introduced to the green industry. They all look wonderful in catalogs, but we choose carefully. After a year or two on trial in our garden, we let everyone have a chance to enjoy them at home. Here are some of the recent additions to our nursery. The [...]