Western Prairie 2010

[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main Western Prairie page.]

Western Prairie has matured and become more diverse.  More of the species I planted are blooming – as well as some species I didn’t plant!

The expanse of sky and space over the prairie is wonderful.  This photo was taken 1/31/2010

 

6/4/10 – Indian Paintbrush

 

This is something I didn’t plant – Slender Beard-tongue (or Slender Penstemon) – I imagine there were some seeds of it mixed in with some seeds I purchased.  Slender Penstemon is native to this area, although I’ve never found it growing in the wild.  It’s wonderful to have it growing in our prairie.  I found several plants in different parts of Western Prairie.

This is a penstemon that I did plant – Large-flowered Beardtongue (or Large-flowered Penstemon).  There are quite a few plants in Western Prairie now – mostly in a slightly damp area, on the slope leading down into Volvo Meadow and Western Valley.

 

7/18/10  The central part of Western Prairie – now 4 years old

 

Some places in the center section of Western Prairie have dense patches of Common Mullein.  I don’t want them to go to seed, so I cut and removed the flower stalks, and treated the cut stems with glyphosate.

 

Here’s an area where I’ve cut and treated most of the Mullein.

 

White Gentian – it’s always fun to find big patches of some of my favorite plants.

 

8/15/10 – There’s less difference between the central and southern sections of the prairie now – it’s now hard to find the line between them.  This is looking from the center section, south toward the point and Big View Prairie.


8/27/10  Northern section – 3 years old

In late August and early September the Monarch migration moved through – the biggest one in several years.  We saw hundreds of monarchs in Western Prairie.  Field Thistle and several of the goldenrods were blooming, and it seemed that there were monarchs on nearly every plant that was in full bloom.

8/27/10  Monarch on Field Thistle

8/27/10  Monarch on Stiff Goldenrod

9/12/10  Showy Goldenrod and Indian Grass

 

10/15/10  Center of Western Prairie looking north

 

10/30/10

 

12/30/10