Geneva River Park is beautiful 365 days a year.
These photos were taken Sept. 29, 2013.
River Park of Geneva overlooks the Fox River.
The flowers are mostly gone, but Little Bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium) blades have turned to copper, sparkling with white feathery blossoms.
The amphitheater is venue for weekly concerts in the summer and other events, but it’s a great place to just sit and enjoy the view.
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) pods and silk add a dramatic note.
Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) edges a path. A good idea for a path or sidewalk in a home garden, as well.
Chinquapin Oak (Quercus muhlenbergii) grows on the right. In nature it is found in rocky or gravelly wooded slopes, so it is at home here in this situation.
A lovely place to sit and enjoy the river view and the fragrance of the Prairie Dropseed–it is said that its aroma is reminiscent of buttered popcorn.
A few aster are still in bloom.
Little Bluestem used to be called Andropogon scoparius; its name has now been changed to Schizachyrium scoparium. In the sunshine, the seeds sparkle like diamonds.
These grasses, particularly the short grasses, Little Bluestem and Prairie Dropseed, are well suited for the home garden. They don’t hide the forbs or flowers; they show them off. Here they are mixed in with blooming asters in my front yard, accented by the tall Indian Grass.
Every garden should have plentiful grasses. Their dense roots hold water like a sponge, thereby preventing runoff. 1/3 of their roots die every year, contributing humus to enrich the soil and providing channels for rainwater to enter the ground.
For more information on how Geneva River Park came to be, read my blog http://naturalmidwestgarden.com/archives/1404
written June 20, 2011. It’s truly inspiring!