Happiness is seeing fall flowers

Carolyn Saft Contributor There is hope that the tortuous, sweltering summer temperatures will be behind us in a few more weeks. Some of the fall flowering plants are showing their buds--hooray! I have had enough of the blistering summer heat and humidity. Look for these native plants along the roadsides and fields for the wispy reddish purple Muhly grass (Mulenbergia) or the purplish plumes of Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis). These two grasses are quite stunning when the dew sparkles in the morning sun. They also provide seeds for songbirds and other wildlife. The purple flower clusters of Narrowleaf and Giant Ironweed (Veronia) are the larval host plant of the Azure butterfly. Another pla