Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Native Stone Byway

Reference my earlier posts Tallgrass Prairie, Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie – Part 1 and Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie – Part 2.

We started our third day in the Tallgrass Prairie by catching a tour at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve’s Visitor Center. We boarded the bus with many other eager enthusiasts and began our journey on a bumpy dirt road through the surrounding prairie. When we got to the highest point in the prairie, we all got out and enjoyed a 360 degree view. It was almost overwhelming! What a awesome sight!!

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Visitor Center Prairie Display

After the tour, we drove north to the Native Stone Byway. On this trek we found even more native prairie plants and some of the most beautiful stone fences made of native limestone.

Because stone was plentiful and pioneers needed to build fences to protect their land holdings, in 1867 Wabaunsee County, Kansas passed a law abolishing the open range and provided for payment of 40 cents per rod (16-1/2 ft) to landowners to build and maintain a 4-1/2 foot dry-stacked stone fence. Note the flat, open countryside. Although trees did pop up now and again, they seemed typically to grow along creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes.

We topped the day off with a visit to the Alma Creamery and enjoyed samples of some of the most delicious, creamy cheeses you can imagine. So, of course, we had to take some home with us. (My family and I have enjoyed every bite!)

   Send article as PDF   

Flint Hills National Scenic Byway – Part 2

Reference my earlier posts Tallgrass Prairie and Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie – Part 1. On our second day in Kansas, we finished the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway tour and saw some lovely towns and more awesome prairie plants.

Wow! We certainly got an eye full! The locals told us this was a good year to view the native wildflowers. Everything looked so lush and green. The colors were extraordinarily brilliant this year; perhaps because of all the rain they’ve gotten.

This video taken by Susan Forbes is just a short memory of the rushing sounds of the Upper Falls at Chase Lake, Kansas near the community of Cottonwood Falls. See also Chase Lake.

 

   Send article as PDF   

Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie – Part 1

Reference my earlier post Tallgrass Prairie. We started our Flint Hills National Scenic Byway tour at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve’s Visitor Center. Here we toured the Spring Hill Ranch buildings and sat in on a wild bird demonstration.

Among other raptors, we were introduced to an American Kestral. I’ve never seen one up close and personal before, so I was pretty impressed. Such beautiful colors. Nor had I ever seen a Swallow-Tailed Kite before. What unusual markings and that very special tail.

Next came the best part, touring the countryside and looking at all the wildflowers. We stopped at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Bottomland Trail.  There were butterflies and pollinators everywhere.

 

 

   Send article as PDF   

Tallgrass Prairie

Volunteers worked Saturday to clean up debris after an early Saturday morning storm tore through the planned site of the Symphony in the Flint Hills. Photo courtesy of Flint Hills Media Project by Kelly Glasscock

My friend Sue Forbes and I drove to Emporia, Kansas a few weeks ago to attend the Symphony in the Flint Hills held in the Tallgrass Prairie. Unfortunately, due to the horrific thunderstorms on the Friday before the Symphony, it was rescheduled for the rain date Sunday, June 16, 2019. But thunderstorms rolled through on Saturday night and the hosts finally had to cancel the day’s events including the Flint Hills Symphony.

But like all good adventurers, we made the most of our time in Kansas. Luckily, the rain occurred only in the evenings, so we were free to roam the countryside in search of all we could see, but especially the wildflowers. During the next couple of posts, I’m going to try to share our adventure with you. The prairie flowers were awesome!

Kansas Hospitality

Arriving in Emporia on Friday evening, June 14th, we ate at a local restaurant called the Radius Brewing Co. It was a 30 minute wait for a table, so we found two seats at the bar next to a lovely elderly couple from Kansas. We had a nice chat with them while waiting for our food. Upon departing, the couple told us to enjoy the symphony for them since they no longer were able to attend. They liked the fact we were from the land of the Packers and wished us well. And, to our surprise, they secretly paid for our meals as a way of treating us to Kansas’ hospitality. We do not know, of course, how to contact this delightful couple to thank them, but we are so thankful for their hospitality and so grateful for their good wishes. It helped immensely to make up for not getting to see the Symphony.

Tallgrass Prairie Natl Preserve Visitor Center Vestibule Sign.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

This national preserve is a joint endeavor between The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service which protects 4% (10,894 acres) of the once 170 million acres of North American prairie. The Tallgrass Prairie Visitor’s Center includes access to many of the buildings which formerly made up the historic Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch.

Scenic Drives

Tallgrass Prairie Flint Hills Scenic Byway planting Sullivant’s Milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii).

There are a number of scenic drives in Kansas. We chose to do the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway and the Native Stone Scenic Byway. All provided us with great opportunities to sightsee and to take photos of unbelievably beautiful wildflowers.

Stay tuned for the awsome show!

   Send article as PDF