Grasses don’t get a lot of respect. They’re common. They’re mostly green in the summer and brown in the winter. Heck, we walk all over them. But let’s pause for a moment, take a closer look, and give our native grasses the attention they deserve!
The first thing that struck me as I started work on these photos was that these grasses aren’t just “brown” – they’re warm tan, straw, rose-tinted, cream, gray, mauve, and a spectrum of other hues that are far more interesting than “brown.”
The second thing I noticed was – again! – the wealth of texture. Smooth stems, rough leaves, fluffy tails, scratchy seeds.
The third thing that stood out was how truly different each grass was in its physical structure. Why on earth is it that when we look at a patch of these individualistic plants, we just call them grass?
Well, I answered that question for myself almost immediately when I realized I don’t know the specific names for most of these grasses – and I had even asked Matt and Jamie (the resident plant gurus at Waubonsie State Park) about them earlier in the week! My bad.
So folks, here are the photos, and I will come back here and add captions to identify them after I talk to Matt and Jamie again. This time I’ll take notes.
