diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic
index efa903eb..8a401bea 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic
@@ -518,6 +518,28 @@ function gvk_layer_views_drop(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, tex: int) -> void
   while len(texs) > w { List.pop(texs) }
 }
 
+# the per-level and per-layer views gvk_view_of made of a texture go with it: kept, each held its
+# old Metal texture alive, so every rebuild of the screen targets left the last set's memory behind
+function gvk_layer_views_drop(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, tex: int) -> void {
+  if render3d_st.gvk_layer_views == null { return }
+  let keys = render3d_st.gvk_layer_views
+  let views = render3d_st.gvk_layer_view
+  let texs = render3d_st.gvk_layer_view_tex
+  var w = 0
+  for i in 0 .. len(keys) {
+    if texs[i] == tex {
+      render3d_st.gvk_mk_x_view += 1
+      Vk.destroy_image_view(render3d_st.gvk_dev, views[i], null)
+    } else {
+      keys[w] = keys[i];  views[w] = views[i];  texs[w] = texs[i]
+      w += 1
+    }
+  }
+  while len(keys) > w { List.pop(keys) }
+  while len(views) > w { List.pop(views) }
+  while len(texs) > w { List.pop(texs) }
+}
+
 # ---- samplers -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # One VkSampler per distinct way of reading a texture, made the first time it is asked for.
 # The arguments are what the renderer set through gpu_tex_param (0 where it set nothing, which
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass.vert b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass.vert
index a8ec80b4..bc9f9292 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass.vert
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass.vert
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ vec3 bladeField(vec2 xz, float y) {
   // dry and green patches a few metres across, and the tussocks' own shade of the same green
   float dryp = smoothstep(0.2, 0.8, gnoise(xz * 0.33 + 17.0) * 0.5 + 0.5);
   t *= mix(vec3(0.92, 1.0, 0.95), vec3(1.30, 1.10, 0.62), dryp);
-  return t * (0.72 + 0.56 * (gnoise(xz * 1.9 + 41.0) * 0.5 + 0.5));
+  return t * (0.55 + 0.80 * (gnoise(xz * 1.9 + 41.0) * 0.5 + 0.5));
 }
 
 void main() {
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass_cull.comp b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass_cull.comp
index 442882bb..c246c027 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass_cull.comp
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/grass_cull.comp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ vec3 bladeField(vec2 xz, float y) {
   t *= mix(vec3(0.7, 0.8, 0.55), vec3(1.1, 1.05, 0.85), patchy);
   float dryp = smoothstep(0.2, 0.8, gnoise(xz * 0.33 + 17.0) * 0.5 + 0.5);
   t *= mix(vec3(0.92, 1.0, 0.95), vec3(1.30, 1.10, 0.62), dryp);
-  return t * (0.72 + 0.56 * (gnoise(xz * 1.9 + 41.0) * 0.5 + 0.5));
+  return t * (0.55 + 0.80 * (gnoise(xz * 1.9 + 41.0) * 0.5 + 0.5));
 }
 
 void main() {
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/terrain.frag b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/terrain.frag
index f010880f..d1520f4d 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/terrain.frag
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/terrain.frag
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ vec3 terNormal(vec2 uv) { vec2 xz = terNormalXZ(uv);  return vec3(xz.x, sqrt(max
 uniform sampler2D u_rock_d;  uniform sampler2D u_rock_n;  uniform sampler2D u_rock_a;
 uniform sampler2D u_snow_d;  uniform sampler2D u_carpet;   // the clump cards baked straight down (alpha = coverage)
 uniform float u_carpet_on;
+uniform float u_grass_reach;   // where the GPU blades stop (0: none): the ground under them is in their shade
 uniform float u_snow_line;
 uniform float u_lake_level;      // the ground just above the water is wet and dark
 // ---- RAIN THAT LEAVES SOMETHING BEHIND -----------------------------------------------------
@@ -410,6 +411,18 @@ vec3 groundShade(vec3 p, vec3 N, float slope, float dist, float viewDepth, bool
       vec3 cc = cp.rgb * vec3(0.5, 0.57, 0.45) * mix(vec3(0.85, 0.92, 0.9), vec3(1.1, 1.05, 0.85), smoothstep(-0.35, 0.35, N.z)) * (0.75 + 0.35 * lush);
       gA = mix(gA, cc, max(cp.a, 0.35) * carpetW * 0.97);
     }
+    // The blades' own patches (grass_cull.comp's bladeField): patchiness and dry patches, so where
+    // the blades thin out the ground they stand on carries the same meadow, not a lawn
+    {
+      float patchy = fbmC(cheap, p.xz * 0.045, 3) * 0.5 + 0.5;
+      float dryp = smoothstep(0.2, 0.8, gnoise(p.xz * 0.33 + 17.0) * 0.5 + 0.5);
+      vec3 pf = mix(vec3(0.7, 0.8, 0.55), vec3(1.1, 1.05, 0.85), patchy) * mix(vec3(0.92, 1.0, 0.95), vec3(1.30, 1.10, 0.62), dryp);
+      // and the tussocks' own shade, half a metre across: where blades stand a pixel wide the ground
+      // is most of what shows, and it has to carry the same light and dark as the blades on it
+      float tus = 0.55 + 0.80 * (gnoise(p.xz * 1.9 + 41.0) * 0.5 + 0.5);
+      gA *= mix(vec3(1.0), pf / vec3(0.95, 0.96, 0.72) * tus, grassW);
+      if (u_grass_reach > 0.0) gA *= mix(1.0, mix(0.50, 1.0, smoothstep(u_grass_reach * 0.25, u_grass_reach, dist)), grassW);
+    }
     // Subalpine forest floor: dark duff where the stands are dense. The photograph-driven
     // term marks duff only where the survey actually shows dense conifer, and is the same
     // at any distance — ground shading must not depend on where the viewer is.
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/terrain.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/terrain.ludic
index 9483c73a..337c66fb 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/terrain.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/terrain.ludic
@@ -493,6 +493,9 @@ function terrain_bind_prog(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, p: int) -> void {
   r3d_bind_2d(render3d_st, p, "u_snow_d", 10, render3d_st.ter_tex[9])
   if render3d_st.ter_carpet != 0 { r3d_bind_2d(render3d_st, p, "u_carpet", 11, render3d_st.ter_carpet);  u_f(render3d_st, gpu_uniform(render3d_st, p, "u_carpet_on"), 1.0) }
   else { r3d_bind_2d(render3d_st, p, "u_carpet", 11, render3d_st.ter_tex[0]);  u_f(render3d_st, gpu_uniform(render3d_st, p, "u_carpet_on"), 0.0) }
+  var reach = 0.0
+  if grass_live(render3d_st) { reach = render3d_st.grass_radius }
+  u_f(render3d_st, gpu_uniform(render3d_st, p, "u_grass_reach"), reach)
   u_f(render3d_st, gpu_uniform(render3d_st, p, "u_half"), float(render3d_st.TERRAIN_HALF))
   u_f(render3d_st, gpu_uniform(render3d_st, p, "u_texel"), 1.0 / float(TERRAIN_RES))
   u_f(render3d_st, gpu_uniform(render3d_st, p, "u_snow_line"), render3d_st.ter_snow_line)