The Konza Prairie in My Own Backyard
Growing up in Manhattan, Kansas, I was surrounded by prairie and didn’t really grasp it. The tall grasses and wild flowers were just part of my everyday life. Now, I have come to appreciate it. For better or for worse, I’m an all or nothing kind of person. When I’m in, I’m all in, and I’m definitely all in with the prairie.
There is something awe-inspiring and beautiful about the prairie. Maybe it’s the far-away horizons, the rolling hills, or the waves of wind flowing like water through the tall grasses. Have you ever driven from Kansas City to Manhattan in early May, when the new grass is emerging after prescribed burns in the Flint Hills? Miles and miles of the freshest green covering the gently rounded landscape. It takes my breath away! That same drive in the fall has a different feel- tall grasses wisping, shades of amber, yellow sunflowers and goldenrod along the way.
In recent years, I have taken an interest in native prairie plants. There are so many of them! From the majestic compass plant that sends up a towering stalk covered with big yellow flowers, to the low-growing sensitive plant with its dainty pink puff-ball-like flower, whose leaves wilt and retract when touched by human hands, the diversity is stunning! When I try to narrow it down to a favorite prairie flower, I find myself making a list: Liatris? Maybe it’s butterfly milkweed or prairie Coreopsis. Possibly Wingstem? Jerusalem artichoke? Maximillian Sunflower? Ironweed? Joe Pye? Monarda? It’s impossible to choose just one!
Over the past two years, I’ve been collecting as many different native prairie plants as I can find, for my garden. I’ve even added a seed mixture of prairie grasses, including Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem, Indian grass and Switch grass. Most of my prairie plants are still in their first or second year, so they’re just getting started. But, I can already envision the most diverse (and overcrowded!) 500 square feet of native plants in the whole state, in my own backyard!
Of course, the pollinators love it! The honey bees, yes, but also all kinds of native bees and butterflies. My yard is teeming with life, buzzing, chirping, singing, fluttering, and humming. As I drink my morning coffee in my favorite chair in my favorite patio spot, I’m both a participant and an observer in this vibrant ecosystem. It’s the Konza Prairie in my backyard.
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