This morning, I joined a dozen other volunteers to collect seeds of prairie forbs at the world-renowned (well, it was featured in Gardens Illustrated last summer) Grigsby Prairie, which is owned by Citizens for Conservation. (Previous posts about this prairie are here and here.) The seeds are to be used in the Native Seed Gardeners program. This was my first time collecting seed, and it was difficult for me to adjust to the idea that I could leave the path, to "glide" amongst the plants seeking the seedheads of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida), Leadplant (Amorpha canescens), and Prairie Coreopsis. The "glide" is a kind of shuffling walk, attempting to avoid stomping on the plants.The prairie in September is a glorious melange of colors, from the red of the grasses,
to the yellow of the Coreopsis tripteris
and Coneflowers,
Yellow Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
to the purple and white of the ex-Asters, and the incredible blue of the Gentians.
Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Then there were the critters of the prairie, including a Cooper's Hawk that checked us out, and this strange thing sitting on the Rough Blazingstar (Liatris aspera).
There were also wasps and plenty of bees, but they didn't bother anyone. Instead, I injured myself on a Coneflower seedhead. When I punctured my finger, I let out a yelp. Those things are sharp! Volunteers are needed every Thursday and Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m., and Sundays from 3:30-to 5 p.m. If you can make it out to Barrington, consider joining them for one of their sessions. You'll be immersed in the beauty of the prairie, and you'll be helping preserve native species. If you don't live near Barrington, but there is a prairie nearby, go visit it soon to see the full glory of the autumn prairie, with the tall grasses waving overhead. There's nothing quite like it.
edit. 9/13/09 Thanks to Sweet Bay for identifying the bug as a Robber Fly.