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The St. Clair County Illinois Gardens in Bloom Tour-2023
Eight beautiful gardens in St. Clair County, Illinois were featured Friday, June 2nd and Saturday June 3rd.Produced by St. Clair County Extension and Education Foundation, the tour benefits University of Illinois Extension programs.Enjoy!…
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Garden-Lou Spotlights the Garden of Fred Ortlip
There are people with ‘green thumbs’… then there are the people with ‘magic thumbs.’ One glance at Fred Ortlip’s garden, and it’s apparent he is one of the latter-he’s created a botanical showpiece…
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May Tree of the Month-Yellowwood
Yellowwood, Cladrasis kentukea, is a blooming tree with a mind of its own when it comes to flowering. Maturity can take 8-10 years, and when it does start flowering, it’s not every year. Well worth…
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May Shrub of the Month-Ruby Slippers Hydrangea
You might have heard the term ‘Four-Season Interest’ when it comes to plants. The oak leaf hydrangeas set the bar for four-season interest, and one of my favorites to use is Hydrangea quercifolia…
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May Perennial of the Month-Allium
Every May, I get a lot of questions, but one of the most asked “What is that?” questions usually leads to the answer-Allium. I It’s impossible not to notice the fun, globe-shaped flower…
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Garden-Lou Spotlights the Garden of Marcella Hawley
If one could be like Alice in Wonderland and shrink down to a tiny size, the perfect place to do it would be a particular Webster Groves garden. Imagine wandering about under lush,…
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April Tree of the Month-Redbud
One of the easiest trees to identify in spring is our native redbud, Cercis canadensis. The long-lasting purple blooms stand out against the early flush of green along roadsides, the forest edge, in backyards,…
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April Shrub of the Month-Korean spice viburnum
What would spring be without fragrant viburnums? The Korean spice viburnum, Viburnum carlesii, is one of the earliest spring-flowering shrubs in our area. Petite pink buds open white in clusters along the branch tips,…
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April Perennial of the Month-Trillium
Early spring is THE best time to wander about the woods and hiking trails to see native wildflowers. (Preferably before the mosquitos are out!) Visiting Missouri Botanical Garden’s Woodland Garden, Emmenegger Park, or…
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Road Trip Garden-Gibbs Gardens
Ball Ground, GA About an hour north of Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gibb’s Gardens is a dream turned reality. Jim Gibbs, one of the founding members of Atlanta Botanical Garden, searched for the perfect…
