[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main Pat’s Prairie page.]
Pat’s Prairie is still looking good this year. We haven’t done any mowing here since 2004, and we’ve never burned it. The vegetation is becoming more diverse as it ages. At first there were fewer species – Yellow Coneflower, Monarda, Stiff Goldenrod and of course, Canada Goldenrod. Now there are many more species including both White and Cream Wild Indigo, Nodding Wild Onion, many asters, Culver’s Root, White, Bottle and Stiff Gentian, Oxeye, Prairie Coreopsis, and Wood Betony. The north end was not very interesting for a long time – mostly Canada Goldenrod – but even that is beginning to improve.
6/2/2011 View of Center Valley from Indian Grass Point – Pat’s Prairie is the field on the right.
6/2/2011
7/28/2011
7/28/2011
7/28/2011
7/28/2011
7/28/2011
7/28/2011
7/30/2011
11/7/2011 In the fall, when it’s windy, the tops of the White Wild Indigo blow around like tumbleweeds. They collect in low places – like the path – in big loose piles, and we have to clear them out to get past.
11/16/2011
11/28/2011
12/18/2011
