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The Point
North Side of The Point One of the magical spots at the PGT is The Point. It is a rocky bluff that looks out on to the Hiller’s Creek valley. This picture looks up at the steep north slope to The...
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Where have all the Butterflies gone?
Spicebush Swallowtail, Battus philenor I’d guess that the number of butterflies at the PGT is down by 90%. Even though their favorite nectar plants are in bloom right now there are very few butterflies...
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Construction Starts!
Truckloads of rocks were delivered this morning to the PGT Center. This is the start of the construction projects we’ve been waiting for. Rain the last couple months delayed things but now we are...
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Creek Reflection
The reflections on Hiller’s Creek were wonderful last night. You can see how lush the vegetation is here this year with all the rain we’ve had. It is green everywhere!
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Savanna Bluff Overlook
Viewing platform at the savanna bluff overlook Construction started this week on the viewing platform at the Savanna Bluff Overlook. This picture shows the galvanized steel frame that forms the base....
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Woodland Path
We opened up the edges of the woods to allow more light in. That light allows more flowers to grow. This morning I found a patch of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) blooming along a path at...
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Purple Coneflower
Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea When I think “Prairie” I see Purple Coneflowers. They can be found in small clumps in many locations here at the PGT. Often I find them at the edges of the prairie...
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Lichen Bluff
Lichen Bluff Visitors to the Prairie Garden Trust are always surprised to see rocky bluffs and steep hillsides. We call this Lichen Bluff because is is covered with some fabulous lichen. In the...
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Paved Walks at the PGT
They started pouring concrete yesterday. Now we will have some paved walks near the visitor center. They are 8-feet wide and about a half mile long. The exposed aggregate surface looks great. They...
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Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird On a walk this morning I heard the chatter of hummingbirds near the edge of Beaver Lake. As I went to inspect I found them feeding in a patch of Rose Turtlehead. The...
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Indian Grass
Indian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans The grasses in the prairie are especially showy right now. With all the rain we’ve had this year they seem taller than normal. The problem is that they flop into the...
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Monarchs are Good – Other Butterflies Missing
Monarch Butterfly on New England Aster We saw about 20 Monarch Butterflies on a walk this afternoon. Their number seem about normal for their yearly migration. Other butterflies were almost totally...
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Goldenrod Prairie
“Dogleg Prairie” South of the PGT Visitor Center Goldenrod is at peak bloom now at the Prairie Garden Trust. People mistakenly believe that goldenrod causes fall allergies. Ragweed is a more likely...
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Favorite Places
The Point One of my favorite places at the PGT is “The Point”. It is a rocky outcrop that overlooks the Hiller’s Creek Valley. This morning I got this photo of a huge rock at The Point that looks like...
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Early Fall Color
Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida I’m starting to see hints of Fall color in the woods at the Prairie Garden Trust now. I photographed these dogwood leaves in the South Forty woods this morning. In two...
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Smooth Sumac
Smooth Sumac Fall is changing the PGT landscape from green to golden-brown. We are just starting to see patches of red and orange. Sumacs are always great for saturated reds. They are just starting to...
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Osage Orange
Osage Orange, Macular pomifera On a walk at the PGT this time of year you might come across some lime-colored softball sized fruits. They come from the Osage Orange tree. The fruits are heavy and solid...
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Wild Plum
Wild Plum, Prunus americanaI found this plum blooming on April 29th. It’s in a thicket that is in a fence row near our barn. Working up pictures like this has me excited about Spring. Just a few months...
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Lotus Pod
American Lotus Seed Pod, Nelumbo lutea All parts of the American Lotus are interesting to explore photographically. Everything from the leaves to the flowers and even the seed pods. I just stumbled...
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50-acres on fire!
Today we burned 50-acres along the northern edge of the Prairie Garden Trust (PGT). Matt spent several days preparing for the burn and had a crew of 7-people to help control it. Controlled burns are a...
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