What's in Bloom: A Walk Through the Prairie

There is so much blooming throughout Rotary Botanical Gardens right now, but it is easy to walk right past the Prairie without giving it a second look. This week, we want to send you there.

Halloween pennant dragonfly perched on a stem at Rotary Botanical Gardens

Step outside the gates and walk through the center of the Prairie and you will find a different kind of beauty than the cultivated garden beds. Right now you can spot Prairie Coneflower, Compass Plant, Wild Bergamot, Woodland Sunflowers, Soapwort, Coneflowers, and Butterfly Weed all doing their thing. Keep an eye out for local birds perched on the Compass Plant. They like the height, since Compass Plants are some of the tallest bloomers out there and make a great lookout post over the whole prairie.

The dragonflies have been especially active this year, not just in the Prairie but throughout the gardens. See how many you can spot on your visit.

Elsewhere in the gardens, you will find plenty more to admire this week, including Balloon Flower, Bellflower, Blazing Star, Canna, Shasta Daisy, Daylily, False Sunflower, Hydrangea, and Spiderwort, along with the roses still going strong.

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The Prairie will keep changing as summer goes on. It will mature, grow taller, and look a little different every time you visit, so this is a great one to come back to again and again.

Thank you to Melissa Lauer and our horticulture volunteer team for keeping such a close eye on everything blooming this week and for the beautiful photos!

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