Garden – Jennifer Fishburn

The red poinsettia is a traditional Christmas plant, but its origins are decidedly non-Christian. Europeans discovered the colorful Euphorbia pulcherrima in Mexico, near the present-day city of Taxco and the valleys surrounding Cuernavaca. We know poinsettias as indoor plants, but in Mexico, they’re large, woody shrubs, often reaching 10 feet in height. The Aztecs cultivated […]

A freshly cut Christmas tree can be a beautiful sight. With proper selection and care you can safely enjoy a fresh tree throughout the holidays. Before you leave home, measure the height and width of the available space where the tree will be placed. Make sure that you don’t choose a tree bigger than the […]

If you haven’t already started a Christmas tradition of purchasing a real tree, this is the year to begin. Real evergreen trees are renewable resources, making them a more ecologically sound choice than artificial trees. And an artificial tree can’t match a real evergreen for beauty, warmth, and fragrance. But what type of tree should […]

The holidays are fast approaching, and poinsettias no doubt again will be the most popular seasonal houseplant sold in the United States. There’s good reason: With their rich colors and variety, poinsettias add a festive touch to any home. In addition to the traditional red bracts (modified leaves), poinsettias are available in white, pink, peach, […]

This fall consider joining the more than 65 million Americans who enjoy bird watching. You can enjoy the fastest growing hobby in the country (second to gardening) by providing some basic necessities for birds in your backyard. While bird feeders may attract birds in the winter, in order to enjoy birds in your backyard year-round […]

As our summer flowers fade away and leaves fall from the trees, our focus turns to planning for next year’s garden. As you jot down notes on what did and didn’t work in this year’s garden you may also be compiling a list of questions, such as “why did my mums bloom in July instead […]

The typical jack-o’-lantern pumpkin weighs 15 to 25 pounds, but pumpkins can range in size from less than one pound to more than 1,000 pounds. How big is a pumpkin that weighs half a ton? The distance around a 1,000-pound pumpkin is about 15 feet. This year the new official world’s largest pumpkin weighed a […]

You’ve picked your tree or shrub and found a spot for its new home. Now it’s time to plant. Most tree species can be successfully planted in the fall (October until the ground freezes) or in the spring. Here are some guidelines to help get your tree off to a good start: Before digging call […]

Selecting the right tree for a given set of environmental conditions can result in a lifetime of happiness. Selecting the wrong tree species can prove a frustrating waste of money and result in the tree’s death. Many tree species can be successfully planted in central Illinois, but no one species will match the conditions of […]

If you own an old home like mine, you’re living with someone else’s decisions, such as where trees are planted in your yard. I’m fortunate to have three 40-year-old trees that provide shade in the summer and great fall color. But they also have provide headaches. A sweetgum tree fills my front yard. While its […]

Yellow and purple crocus peak up through a dusting of snow. Nothing brightens a winter day in March more than the colors of early blooming spring flowers. Now is the time to plant your hardy flowering bulbs. Spring flowering bulbs–classified as “hardy bulbs”–require a cold period before breaking their dormancy. Because of their wide variation […]

You say narcissus, I say daffodil. No matter which name you use to refer to this plant, most gardeners would agree that daffodils are one of the most vigorous and colorful flowers of spring. Daffodil is the common name, while narcissus is the Latin or botanical name for the genus. Jonquil refers to a specific […]