At the corner of High Street and Commerce Street, the two main commercial retail streets in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, I designed and planted a prairie garden for a client who operates an independent bookstore from the stone building. In October, the flowers are mostly gone, leaving pretty seed pods and glorious glowing yellow and russet foliage.
The repeating structural lines of prairie dropseed form yellow edges while the contrasting rust of the little bluestem forms a taller backdrop. Yellow river birch leaves repeat the color, with deep brown seedheads of various serving as accents. We leave the seeds on for the birds that some in fall and winter to feed on them. Stone benches echo the stone walls around the gardens, as well as the stone walls of the historic buildings, and provide resting places for the visitors to the pretty little town.
