This is a twofer blog day… Because even as my vegetable garden has struggled, with no effort at all the prairie has been thriving. Variety, beauty, all sorts of goodness. We’re moving into goldenrod season now, so I thought I’d take a little trip through the flowers that have bloomed in late July/early August. I took these before going on an 8-mile bike ride on Saturday. That was a great ride– so nice to give energy to something other than work or domestic tasks.
Even before they’re in full bloom, goldenrod are gorgeous.
Of course, in bloom they’re even more gorgeous!
Echinacea/purple coneflowers always amaze me.
As do the butterflies they attract. Anyone know what this butterfly is?
But they aren’t alone…
The bergamot are past their prime but still gorgeous– and bloomed in such big bunches this year.
You have to get up close to appreciate the sawtooth sunflower fully. The pollinators open up the core to expose more little flowers…
But the grey-headed coneflower is, for me, the Queen of the Prairie. She dances over all the other flowers on her narrow stem with her drooping ballet skirt.
And though I have no photos, the monarch butterflies are starting to arrive. They do their ecstatic dances and mating all over everywhere and float above the prairie. The crickets are just arriving, too, to serenade them and drive the chickens crazy in their pursuit of protein treats!
Butterfly looks like a red admiral.
Yes, I think you’re right! Thanks, Helen!