A Wildflower Labyrinth

A native-plant take on an ancient design

Today ’s photos come from Eric Kimbrel .

Here is a photo of the Wildflower Labyrinth where I exercise at Southern Highlands Reserve in Lake Toxaway , North Carolina .

The Southern Highlands Reserve is a 120 - acre aboriginal plant botanical garden and research center that not only display plant but also conserves them — for example , by grow red spruce(Picearubens , Zone 3–8 ) on situation and getting them to mountaintops on which they are or were locate in the past tense .

The landscape was designed by Gary Smith and comprise of many garden “ rooms . ” One of those is the Wildflower Labyrinth . This labyrinth design is one of the original ancient aim , with a one-quarter - mile course to the center , where there is a granite circular work bench . The plant create an organized hayfield ofBaptisia , black - eyed Susan(Rudbeckiahirta , geographical zone 3–7 ) , lobelia , cut - folio coneflower(Rudbeckia laciniata , Zones 4–9 ) , mountain mint(Pycnanthemum muticum , Zones 4–8),Hypericum , Carexpensylvanica(Zones 3–8 ) , switchgrass(Panicumvirgatum , Zones 4–9),little bluestem(Schizachyrium scoparium , Zones 3–9 ) , and Indian paintbrush(Castilleja coccinea , Zones 4–8 ) .

The labyrinth from above on a day in March . A garden internal ear is n’t a labyrinth ; rather , it is a individual winding itinerary that you walk tardily as a kind of speculation or prayer . Many were create in medieval cathedrals . This is a beautiful version , created out of doors using native plant life . you may see that the grasses have been left standing over the winter . Leaving grasses and other perennial stand up over the winter rather than cutting them back in the downslope is a majuscule manner to provide worthful home ground for all kind of native insects that hibernate in the stems and under the leaves of perennials .

The same view , later on the same day . Look nearly , and where the grasses were you may see ash . Lots of our native grassland mintage are adapted to burn on a regular basis .

In May , the labyrinth has number awake with lush greenery .

By August , the inner ear is alert with flowers . The yellowness is from the smutty - eyed Susans .

When you reach the center of the internal ear , this bench is there to provide a spot to sit around and love the experience and the aboriginal plants around you .

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