Pat Hill's Natural Midwest Garden
Pat Hill's Blog on gardening with native plants in Northern Illinois
During winter the winds come in crisp and invigorating from across the prairies. At this season of the year the landscape assumes a dreary look to many who do not understand. But to others, when the gray arms of the cottonwood are illuminated by the January sun and silhouetted against the blue sky, when sleeping […]
This was the 2014 Thanksgiving essay. I have more to add this year: Kane County Forest Preserve of Illinois invited Kent Nerburn, author of several books about American Indians, to speak at a program earlier in November. Several people from Northern Kane County Wild Ones and/or Ruthless Readers, our Environmental Book Club, attended. Three […]
Where is Jack Frost? He is late–in previous years, he always came around 8 October, my mother-in-law’s birthday. Actually, it’s not Jack Frost that causes leaves to turn color. What causes leaves to turn color in the fall? Shorter day lengths and cooler temperatures trigger the leaves to discontinue the production of chlorophyll, allowing […]
“Asters, like prophets, are without honor in their own country,” said Louise Wilder Beebe. Known as “Michaelmas Daisies” because they bloom around St. Michaelmas Day on September 29, asters are held in high esteem by English and other European gardeners, while we in the United States distain them as common weeds. They have to […]
Eye-catching Late Summer-early Fall Berries of Herbaceous Plants. The deep blue berries of Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum canaliculatum) dangle from a gracefully arched stem beginning in late summer. It is common in woodlands, along roadsides, under telephone wires, in fencerows, woodland edges, under open grown trees and in thickets. (Swink & Wilhelm Plants of the […]
Rough Liatris and Showy Goldenrod make a striking late summer combination. The blossoms of Rough Liatris (Liatris aspera) begin to open at the top of the stem in mid to late August and continue with a spectacular show well into September. Its flower tufts spill out of the large cups arranged in an open […]
Eye-catching Late Summer-early Fall Berries of Herbaceous Plants. The deep blue berries of Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum canaliculatum) dangle from a gracefully arched stem beginning in late summer. It is common in woodlands, along roadsides, under telephone wires, in fencerows, woodland edges, under open grown trees and in thickets. (Swink & Wilhelm Plants of the Chicago […]
Late Summer Berries Unlike the most commonly planted exotic shrubs such as lilac, forsythia, and spirea, our native shrubs bear bountiful crops of berries in late summer or early fall. The colorful fruit is a delightful feature in itself, but even better, it attracts a myriad of fruit-eating birds. Birds need a diet of […]