April 9, 2020
Slow Down on Spring Cleaning in Your Garden
With the recent warm weather and native plants starting to emerge from their winter slumber, folks may be eager to do some spring cleaning in their gardens.
DuPage Forest Blog
Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
Plants (2)
November 20, 2019
Autumn is a time to enjoy the crispness of the weather and the colors of the trees. The yellow, red and orange colors of the oaks, maples and hickories paint a beautiful...
October 17, 2019
Scientists Search for Clues to Grassland Bird Habitats
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
More than a dozen ecologists from local conservation agencies toured the 1,800-acre Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve in Naperville recently to explore and learn more about the...
August 5, 2019
Restoring More of the Great Prairie
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
The 358-acre West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve in West Chicago is one of northeastern Illinois’ premier natural areas, containing more than 600 species of native plants and...
July 30, 2019
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
You expect to encounter native plants and wildlife when you visit DuPage forest preserves, but you don’t expect to find amazing gardens abloom in gorgeous flowers.
April 24, 2019
Spring Woodland Wildflower Guide
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Of all the seasonal blooms, spring wildflowers seem to capture our hearts and attention the most, likely because they’re the first we see after months of drab landscapes. Most...
April 2, 2019
Contain Your Love of Gardening
I know many folks who are interested in growing native plants but feel they can’t because they don’t have a yard or room in their yard to grow them.
March 20, 2019
Points to Ponder Before Raising Monarch Caterpillars
Full disclosure: I’ve always liked insects. As a child I found them intensely interesting and spent hours just watching them walk, feed and fly. As an adult I came to realize...
January 23, 2019
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
For local gardeners, winter’s a time to take stock of what did well during the previous year and to look forward to the coming crop of plant catalogs in the mail. But in DuPage...
November 6, 2018
The Plight of the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
I think it’s just human nature to run in the opposite direction when we see a big black-and-yellow insect flying our way. But when it comes to the rusty patched bumble bee, our...
October 24, 2018
Saving the Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Patience is a virtue, especially if you’re trying to save the federally threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid.
June 25, 2018
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Ah, summer in DuPage County. Time to get reacquainted with the incredible array of plants and wildlife that call the forest preserves home. Sure, the thought of a few of them...
June 20, 2018
Butterflying in the Forest Preserves
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Watching butterflies in DuPage forest preserves is a favorite summer pastime for some insect enthusiasts. But even the lesser experienced bug lover in you can find butterflying a...
May 14, 2018
Avoid Introducing Invasive Plants to Your Landscape
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Many nurseries and garden centers unknowingly sell invasive landscape plants to unsuspecting consumers. These invasives can escape from your yard and wreak havoc on natural areas...
April 30, 2018
The Tangled Relationships in a Garden
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
The relationship between milkweed and monarchs is well known and well documented. Monarch butterflies feed on the nectar in milkweed flowers, collecting pollen before transferring...
April 16, 2018
Solutions to Common Garden Challenges
Gardening with native plants has many rewards, but it can also pose some challenges. The beautiful flowers may attract pollinators, but they may also attract unwanted critters,...
April 3, 2018
It’s a perennial question that comes up every planting season: Does it really matter if you plant a full-sun plant in the shade or a shade plant in a sunny spot? Well, it does if...
March 20, 2018
Attracting Wildlife to Your Backyard
When people ask me how to attract birds, bees and butterflies to their backyard, my answer always begins with planting native plants. What do I mean by native plants? A plant is...
March 14, 2018
Reasons to Go Native with Landscaping
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
As the days grow longer and the temperatures grow warmer, you may be thinking about your how you would like to landscape your garden this growing season. This is the perfect time...
September 13, 2017
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Asters might very well be the forest preserves’ forgotten flowers. People spend summer gazing at coneflowers, black-eyed Susans and other bright bloomers, but when fall arrives...