Appreciating Autumn

Admittedly I am not much of a photographer, but because I always have my phone on me I can now catch a few good shots of things that I find beautiful.  It is almost always of a landscape, or perhaps some detail of a planting, or the striking architecture of a plant.  And that what fascinates me the most--their crazy, unique, almost alien forms-- but you have to take the time to really see them.  You don't have to go to a botanical garden to appreciate plants, just look underfoot.  This photo is taken from a bank parking lot where I found that puffball fungus mentioned in my previous blog:

Echinacea seed heads against Feather Reed Grass, probably Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'

 

 

 

 

 

Feather Reed Grass is, so far, my favorite grass.  I love its vertical nature, and the way its flaxen seed heads catch light.  It is often used in parking lot boundaries and beds:

Not a very attractive photo, but you can see the kind of effect that this grass makes--its vertical and linear form makes it a very orderly looking plant, but the feathery seed heads soften the edges and catch sunlight.

Remember, every once in a while look up and take a look at what plants are growing in unexpected or overlooked areas--you might be surprised!