Natural spaces offer places to enjoy quiet time, refresh in fresh air, and exercise away from crowds.
The tradition of St. Paddy's day every March 17th, finds people wearing green. You can experience how nature wears green during most seasons of the year, but spring is probably the best time for a deep dive into this refreshing hue.
Green is the color of spring and is a symbol for growth and renewal. It’s also one of the most relaxing and restful colors for the human eye to view.
Green is a secondary color that is created by mixing blue and yellow. Many animals use this mix as they have trouble making green. Green snakes and frogs have evolved by mixing a yellow pigment to their blue structural color to get those green shades. The pigment color is temporary and the structural color more lasting. When a green snake or frog dies, they may appear blue as the pigment fades and the underlying structural color remains.
Plants make their own green pigments, known as chlorophyll, and use them to turn sunlight into energy. This process of photosynthesis in the leaves feeds the plant.
In spring, many vibrant shades of green spread across the landscape. You can enjoy these greener pastures by heading out in nature to experience some refreshing shades of green. It may enhance your vision and even bring on some luck of the Irish.
Check out some green critters and places to go to see nature's greens in the media gallery below.
Seeing Green
The Show-Me State features stunning natural areas to explore, breathe in the fresh air, and recharge. Here are a few worth visiting:
- Alley Spring, featuring the 7th-largest spring in Missouri, shortleaf pines, and a scenic mill.
- Big Sugar Creek, where numerous pools provide refuge for stream fish, and belted kingfishers fly.
- Maple Woods, to view and hear migrating spring songbirds in north Kansas City.
- St. Francois Mountains, featuring the highest point in Missouri, Taum Sauk Mountain.
- Vilander Bluff, float or hike to experience this bluff above the Meramec River.
Discover more natural areas.
Recent Posts
