Hydrangeas are easy, classic flowering shrubs for our area with a long history. We love them for their big summer show of bountiful blossoms. There are several different types available and each has its own site requirements and pruning needs. Continue reading…
Early Spring Flowers
Three Trees and a Couple of Shrubs to Soothe the Soul
Written by: Heather Prince
Get ready to bloom with us! Learn about some of our early spring bloomers including magnolia, ornamental cherry, redbud, witch hazel and spicebush. Make your own backyard retreat a reality – visit Wannemaker’s today to find all of this and more. We have fresh shipments arriving daily!
Magnolia

Magnolias are in many ways an heirloom plant. Grandma may have had a big saucer magnolia that covered the front lawn and turned into a pink cloud every April. Now, there are many more varieties of magnolia that are easier to tick into a small landscape, such as ‘Ann’. It will reach 8 to 10 feet over time and blooms about mid-April.
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to find magnolia on our plant guide.
Ornamental Cherry
There’s nothing quite like an ornamental cherry in full glorious flower, however fleeting. We carry both upright and weeping trees, but one that has particularly caught our attention is a weeping variety called ‘Extraordinaire’. It features huge many-petaled flowers that look like pink pom-poms! At 15 to 20 feet, it will need a bit of space and lots of sun, but in autumn it also treats us with beautiful orange fall color.
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to find ornamental cherry on our plant guide.
Redbud

In April, redbud begins to bloom and our woods and neighborhoods are filled with an almost ethereal pink smoke as the tiny pink pea-like flowers cover the twigs. This easy-going, edge of the woods native tree is a favorite of Midwesterners for its early prolific bloom, large heart-shaped leaves, and golden fall color. The straight species tops out around 20 feet in full sun or part shade, but we also carry weeping varieties and purple-leaved selections.
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to find redbud on our plant guide.
Witch Hazel

Often the first shrub to bloom, witch hazel is a large shrub that bewitches with its unique fragrant flowers in March. With an elegant vase shape reaching about 12 feet, it features large crinkled green leaves in summer and a rich gold fall color. However, we love it for saving our sanity after a long winter with its cluster of strappy yellow flowers.
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to find witch hazel on our plant guide.
Spicebush

Spicebush is a subtle native beauty. It usually blooms with tiny golden fragrant flowers in March. Pretty green leaves follow and a golden fall color continues the show. Crush the leaves or the stems and release their spicy perfume. This low maintenance native does well in sun or shade and is the larval host of the spicebush swallowtail butterfly
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to find spicebush on our plant guide.
Patio Furniture
We carry Berlin Gardens, Casual Cushion Corp, Hanamint, North Cape International, Ow Lee, Patio Renaissance, Winston and so much more. Find a set that suits you, and kick back in comfort.
Holiday Gifts
To find the perfect presents to leave under your tree, check out our holiday showroom of thoughtful gifts.
Continue reading…
Backyard Brisket
Learn how to become a backyard hero and elevate your current game. Click below to download the Backyard Brisket with Chicago BBQ Scene presentation by Steve Iannarone.
Traeger: Taste the Wood Fired Difference
Traeger invented the original wood pellet grill over 30 years ago in Mt. Angel Oregon, and continues to lead the industry as the worlds #1 selling wood-fired grill, perfected by decades of mastering the craft of wood-fired cooking. A Traeger grill will transform the way you cook because it fires up consistent results every single time. Fuel your hunger for wood fired flavor with Traeger.
Taste
When it comes to grilling, your fuel flavors your food and cooking over wood just tastes a whole lot better than gas or charcoal.
Versatility
Traegers can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, ad BBQ everything from a full packer brisket to wood-fired pizza or a freshly-baked apple pie.
Ease
No more tending live fires for hours on end, our digitally-controlled grills make setting your grill temperature as easy as setting your kitchen oven.
Consistency
Traeger grills provide consistent temperature that allow you to master your cooking and get perfect results, so you can cook with confidence.
Community
Traeger users are passionate about sharing tips, tricks, victories, and learning experiences with fellow users, forming a tight-knit BBQ Community.
BBQ Rib Prep
At our Annual Spring Home & Garden Show, Duce Raymond from Duces Wild BBQ gave a demonstration on BBQ Rib Prep. Continue reading…
BBQ Brisket How-To
At our Annual Spring Home & Garden Show, Steve Iannarone from Chicago BBQ Scene led a seminar on how to select, prepare, and cook BBQ Brisket. Continue reading…
Bloom With Us
Gardening season is here, and we have fresh arrivals daily of over 170 varieties of annuals, perennials, tropicals, roses, vegetables and herbs, trees and shrubs, and more.
Pansies
Pansies are one of the earliest flowering plants, blooming right alongside the spring bulbs. Their unforgettable fragrance makes them a desirable choice for gardens or planters. Visit our nursery and you’ll find our pansies in pots, flats, combos, hanging baskets, and more. Continue reading…