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Richard Tilley

Gardening for Richard Tilley began in England in his father's vegetable plot some seventy years ago.  His move to Wicker Park in 1976 began a journey in gardening that includes designing, planting and maintaining his own large garden; working in the Wicker Park gardens weekly; and conducting workshops for the Wicker Park Garden Club.  His retirement, as an engineer from the printing industry, permits him to be a full time gardener.

Stories from Richard Tilley

Clean up but don't plant out

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
03/15/2012
RTRakes

Hello gardeners!

During this early warm spell it gives us a chance to get out and clean up the debris left over from winter's ravages.

All the old dead annuals that were not pulled out in the fall should be cleaned out now. The ornamental grasses need to be cut down before they start growing and dead stems on perennials removed. Clean up the ground too and rake it.

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Hydrangeas: hardy shrubs that add beauty to your garden

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
10/07/2011
LimeHydrangHydrangea are hardy shrubs that will add beauty to any garden. They are easy to grow and do not require a lot of attention.
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An unexpected crop

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
08/17/2011
Mushrooms1

During the night between Tues., Aug. 16 and Wed. Aug. 17 a mysterious crop arose in one section of my lawn.

It was a crop of mushrooms. Why? I do not know. They did not appear anywhere else in the garden.

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Dahlias are beautiful and can be good for you

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
04/05/2011
Dahlia

The beauty and medicinal purposes of the Dahlia goes back in history to the 1600s but it was named after Anders Dahl (1751-1789), a Swedish botanist. In 1963 it was declared the national flower of Mexico.  For your garden, it can produce a profusion of color from a variety of sizes and shapes.

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Cactus a bloom for many seasons…Thanksgiving thru Easter

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
02/09/2011
OrangeChristmas

Although Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cacti are called cactus they are not a true desert cactus.

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Brugmansia (Angels Trumpets)

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
09/09/2010
PinkBrugmansia

If you want to make a spectacular show on your patio, there is nothing to beat a couple of Brugmansia (Angels Trumpet) plants. In their native habitat they can grow to be a tree up to twenty feet tall. But, they won't get to this size in Chicago.

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Hardy Hibiscus - Rose Mallow

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
08/04/2010
LordBaltimoreStalk

 

Although these plants go under the name of Hardy Hibiscus they are not a true hibiscus but part of the mallow family although the flowers certainly look like hibiscus.

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Keep your plants flowering all summer

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
06/22/2010
DragonWings

By now you probably have all your bedding plants in the ground and are enjoying the colorful displays and want to keep the show all summer until the frost. There is a secret to this and it is called "Deadheading."

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Get an early start on your vegetables

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
04/30/2010
WallofWater

 

Many vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant cannot be planted in the garden until after all danger of frost has passed. It is possible, however, to get an early start using plastic structures called Wall O Waters.

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Wicker Park Garden Club Tool Sharpening Workshop a success

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
04/07/2010
EnglishGardenerSharpensShovel

Response to the recent Wicker Park Garden Club's annual tool sharpening workshop was so great that it had to be divided into two classes. My basement workshop could not cope with many more than ten at a time.

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March 2010

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
03/11/2010
Snowdrops

Winter is slowly loosening its grip on the garden and the snow is starting to recede. Where the snow has gone there are already signs of spring, the muscari (Grape Hyacinth) bulbs are showing their green shoots, and will soon be a sea of blue. The snowdrops are showing white and these are the earliest to bloom. In some spots the daffodils are beginning to emerge, all signs of better days to come.

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Recycle your amaryllis

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
01/23/2010
AmaryllisInBloom

Many of you received or purchased amaryllis flowers during the holiday season. Unfortunately many of these get discarded after they have finished flowering. This is a shame for with a little care, they will bloom for many years. I personally have flowering bulbs which are well over ten years old.

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Think Spring and plan for your 2010 garden

By: 
Richard Tilley
Date: 
12/17/2009

Now is the time to be thinking “Spring” and planning for your 2010 garden. Get out your seed catalogs and go through them.  It will make the winter seem less severe.автомобильный навигатор

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