Thriving Through the Heatwave: Drought-Tolerant Plants You’ll Love All Summer Now that summer is in full swing, bringing higher temperatures and less rain, it’s the perfect time to look at plants that naturally thrive in drought-like conditions. By incorporating resilient, native varieties, you can keep your yard vibrant without watching…

Beat the Heat: Your Guide to Summer Watering the Right Way Watering your landscaping may seem simple, but knowing when to water, how much to use, which tools work best, and even whether harvested rainwater is safe to use can make a big difference in keeping your landscape healthy throughout…

5 Landscaping Tasks Every Homeowner Should Do Before Summer Spring is here, which means summer is just around the corner! After months of dormancy, your landscape is beginning to wake up and bloom. As you start thinking about adding new plants, preparing for outdoor gatherings, and getting your yard back…

Plant Smart This Spring: Top Low-Maintenance Perennials for Illinois Gardens It’s not easy to take care of a garden. All plants have different wants and needs, and it can become confusing to pick the right one. Not only that, but it’s also time-consuming to take care of a garden. While…

Spring Prep Starts Now: Essential March Tasks for a Healthy Lawn and Garden While it may still be too early for digging or planting outdoors, there’s plenty you can do now to set yourself up for a successful growing season. Early March is the perfect time to start planning what…

Nascent Summer seems to have settled in nicely, replete and contented. Yet her once dewy, fresh face begins to grow sallow and somber under the impossible weight of hot, humid temperatures and lack of meaningful moisture. Her youth, vigor and novelty are starting to wear thin.  July is upon us….

The sun dappled and danced upon the lawn as it beamed through the lush, albeit nascent canopy.  Although temperatures have been mostly mild, the sun is still a major factor in our yards and gardens, even if we don’t always feel her warmth.  In fact, it is the most essential…

The new year sidled in with the promise of delicately laced trees and downy blankets of snow which would quiet and comfort the landscape.  It is both beautiful and treacherous. Snow, for many, is merely a nuisance. Although the aesthetics are undeniable, the beauty, for most, does not outweigh the…

October, like dusk, gilded the landscape in its ripened rays as the petals and foliage blushed in the cooling air and waning sun.  Beauty was everywhere. As we begin to put our landscapes to bed – tidying, raking, mulching, and pruning, you might consider letting your perennials stand. To many,…

Change is in the air. Cool, crisp change. The first day of Fall is Sunday, September 22nd, and I for one welcome it with open arms. Now, is a busy time in our yards and gardens as we take advantage of the perfect growing conditions and prepare for the winter…

  The landscape lay beleaguered, drunk on the sun’s rays and summer heat.  She was beginning to blush and mature in the ripened light of August’s sun, and there was a palpable shift in the air. The winds of change are upon us as our attention begins to turn from…

Summer marched forth to the cadence of the cicada, stumbling ever so often, as her rhythm slowly became out of sync.  Her easy going nature seemed strained, and her once verdant beauty disheveled and unkempt.  A kind word and a bit of support would again renew her spirit and loveliness. …