Here we share a large collection of pictures taken throughout every step of the prairie restoration process. We will continue to upload more photos in the coming months and years as the prairie expands. This project is an ongoing multi-year endeavor, spearheaded by our ambitious founder and manager, Brandon Latorre. We officially started the community garden in Spring 2021, and the Garden will continue to grow to provide a better community service to the people and critters of the Potter-Walsh Neighborhood in Lansing. The establishment of this native prairie would not have been possible without the sponsorship from Michigan State University, and donations from the Ingham County Land Bank of Lansing and local tree-trimming companies. Additionally, we have been blessed with hard-working volunteers throughout the entire restoration process. Please reach out if you’d like to get involved! Pictures are assembled in reverse chronological order; more recent pictures of the garden are at the top of the page.
Restoration of native Prairie habitat
Wild Wonder Community Prairie Garden during mid-summer
Wild Wonder Community Prairie Garden during Early Summer
Germination and perennial re-emergence of Wild Wonder Community Prairie Garden during early Spring
Cold stratification of prairie seed sown in Wild Wonder Garden
The seeding of Wild Wonder Garden: we spread 8x the amount of prairie seed needed
Wild Wonder Community Prairie Winterland, first frost after planting all plugs
Wild Wonder Community Prairie Garden after we planted 550+ plant plugs
Transformation from Ornamental Garden to Native Prairie Garden
Wild Wonder Community Ornamental Garden- The Humble Beginning
Before Restoration
The Wild and Wonderful Little Pocket of Prairie!
During mid-summer, the flowers are growing strong and the temporary grasses are already subsiding and undergoing senescence. The early flowering species are already undergoing senescence and converting their floral inflorescences into seed heads. The prairie species are generally more drought tolerant, and in the coming seasons they will set more seed, further expand their roots and for some species, make more ramets (clonal member of a plant capable of surviving on its own). The plants have grown taller than ever, and also produced the most flowers than ever before. During the first growing season, some species never set flower, and instead, focused efforts in root production (for example, Monarda fistulosa, Ratibida pinnata, Asclepias species, and more). These efforts paid off, because all of these species produced an abundant number of showy flowers! It may take multiple years for various seeded species to emerge. The garden is bustling with pollinating insects, including many charismatic bee and butterfly species.
During early spring, the plants in the restored prairie grew rapidly and will continue to grow as the season progresses. The earliest species that flowered were Prairie Phlox, Yarrow, and Golden Alexanders.
Garden Beautification
Using grant funding from Michigan State University, we installed a Little Free Library, a United Nations Peace Pole, Prairie plant plugs, prairie seeds, and 16 educational plaques describing the restoration process, the importance of nature, and also species information for prairie forbs.
Weeds started to proliferate towards the back end of the garden, a space that did not undergo restoration. There are large Oak trees that block out the Sun in this section of the garden, and the team decided that the space would be better as a recreational area. A community trampoline offered many years of joyful childhood play, but it recently broke and needed to be removed. Additionally, there is a strand of noxious Japanese Knotweed that would likely spread faster with the death of nearby grasses/weeds. We sheet mulched the back of the garden to further restrict weedy vegetation, but we were careful not to get too close to the Japanese Knotweed. We are currently in the multi-year process of killing this weed by administering glycosphate herbicide onto freshly cut stems. In the coming year, we may restore the area with a collection of shade-tolerant species, or we will install another recreational play area.
Seedling and Perennial Expansion
As the season progressed, new seedlings germinated, and prairie forbs continued to grow taller. All perennials grew back stronger with more shoots. Not a single plug died!
Prairie seed germination and perennial re-emergence
The 550+ plant plugs that were planted last year emerged from their dormancy. These plants invested heavily towards the development of a strong and elaborate root system. Seeds in the front of the garden germinated more quickly because of better access to sunlight.
More Germination and growth…
Cold Stratification of Prairie Seeds
We sowed the prairie seeds at a perfect time, right before a big snowstorm. Exposure to these freezing temperatures helps initiate the germination process. Although the lot still looks somewhat barren, it will soon become an ocean of flowers. Additionally, we sowed the number of seed recommended for 8x the area of the garden. This excessive bombardment of prairie seed guarantees success in the restoration process. We are transforming the seed bank back to its native state.
The Prairie Winterland, once again
Mulch Removal for Prairie Seeding
The prairie seeds (sourced from Native Connections in Lansing) need to be spread out on bare soil to germinate, but the lot still had a lot of mulch. We carefully scraped the mulch away and made a path along the perimeter and through the middle of the garden. At the time of mulch removal, most perennials were dormant in the ground. Every orange pin flag indicates a thriving plant investing in its root system. We were careful not to disturb the dormant plants.
Daniel, our Head Gardener!
The First Frost of Wild Wonder Community Prairie Garden
We installed a Peace Pole from the United Nations. May Peace Prevail on Earth.
Plant stalks were often covered with a thin layer of ice. Seed heads had little snow hats!
Before the Peace Pole!
Restoration of Wild Wonder Community Prairie Garden
Transformation from Ornamental Garden to Wild Wonder Community Prairie Garden
Sheet Mulch: Cardboard Barrier
To start the Sheet Mulching process, lay a thick layer of cardboard over grass and weeds on the space that you want to make into a garden bed. Do not leave any openings or patches of grass; block out all Sun from the land. Distributing decomposable organic matter before laying down cardboard, like Fall leaves, is a plus! Make sure to pick a day with low wind speeds to prevent cardboard from flying away.
Sheet Mulch: Wood Chips and Compost Layer
You will need a substantial amount of wood chips for your project, usually more than you expect. Alternate between layers of wood chips and compost until you reach a thickness of 12-36 inches. The decomposition process is slow, yet effective. You will see a noticeable reduction in plant matter as the months pass. Spread the mulch/compost evenly across the entire lot. In this lot, there was a lot of dried up leaves from last Fall. Be sure to spread that thoroughly around the lot below and above the cardboard. It will decompose and add more nutrients into the soil.
Time for more mulch and cardboard!
The weeds were occasionally able to get past the layer of cardboard and mulch. We sprayed roots with gycosphate herbicide after physically removing stems. After some time, we placed an additional layer of cardboard and mulch over the areas that had weedy growth. The bags that are laid across the ground are fertilizer (donated by the Ingham County Land Bank) and was also spread over the mulch.
The Inception of Wild Wonder Ornamental Community Garden
Lawns are not conducive to life, and are especially detrimental to pollinators that depend on flowering plants. If you are starting a garden, its best to plant native plants that are historically from your local region. This will support local native plant and pollinator populations. Say NO to lawns! Because of budgeting constraints at the time, we planted ornamental plants to provide at least some resources to the critters that we love.
Before Spring 2021, the vacant lot was just an ordinary lawn with many invasive species and grasses.
The modest community ornamental garden was shaped to resemble the Sun to pay homage to the source of all life on Earth (excluding life that depends on energy released from inside the Earth). The Sun provides the energy plants need to produce sugars, which animals consume. The omnivorous human fuels they’re bodies with plants and animals. The warmth of the Sun will produce life in Wild Wonder Community Garden, and the lot will be bustling with the wild and wonderful.