On a southwest-facing hillside prairie, the rare Indian Paintbrush blooms in the springtime. Because of its steep slope and sandy soil, the prairie was never plowed or grazed, and provides a home for an incredible diversity of prairie plants - 61 species in all. Naturalists occasionally lead walks to Windfall Prairie Nature Preserve which includes not only the prairie, but also a beautiful wooded ravine full of mature oaks, hickories and hard maple trees. Flowers bloom all summer on the prairie: purple coneflower, blazing stars, and ladies' tresses orchids. By fall the tall grasses and tall flowers like the prairie dock shown here dominate the prairie.