Grass whispers

Hard to believe that not too many years ago hardly anybody grew grasses (except of course for ubiquitous bluegrass). The picture above was taken in early September in the Karatau mountains not far from Djabagly in south central Kazakhstan. I suspect the grass looks pretty much the same as that today. It is a very glaucous fescue that I collected a pinch of seed from since it might in fact be a blue fescue which is drought tolerant. As much as I love the various blue fescues in cultivation, they are far from tolerating the kind of drought Colorado dishes out from time to time.

Of course, I am pleased with the backlighting in this picture. I also love the obtrusive, bronzy leaf on the right hand side: this is a withered remnant of a dryland rhubarb of Central Asia: Rheum maximowiczii. Ninety nine people out of a hundred would gloss right past this picture. You, obviously are not one of these! You are obviously discerning...My brother! Or sister (as the case may be)...long may your grasses whisper in the wind and in your garden!