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Landscape Theme

Native Garden

Landscape Location

Meadow

Walkways

Woodland

Crowder Park Prairie and Native Plants Garden

Description

The Crowder Prairie Garden was established in 2014 by Bill Blevins, Cindy Sanborn, and Carla Carpenter. Today it is maintained by Wake County Master Gardeners Cindy Sanborn, Cathy DeWitt, Sue Council, Lynn Martin, Ginny Nugent, and other MG volunteers that sign up. It was envisioned to demonstrate the importance of prairies as a natural habitat that supports a diverse population of birds, butterflies, insects, and other native wildlife. A prairie is a natural-looking garden of native grasses and wildflowers that add color and attract pollinators to the landscape. Some of the native flowers found in the garden are butterfly weed, baptisia, coreopsis, Queen Anne's lace, cardinal flower, carolina jasmine, bee balm, mountain mint, cone Flower, rudbeckia, Joe pye weed, muhly grass, green and gold chrysanthemums, and other native plants. By maintaining this important ecosystem, we hope to help preserve the wildlife that may otherwise become threatened.  We do not use irrigation systems, fertilizer, or pesticides. Our challenges are decreasing sun due to encroaching pines and hardwoods, no water source, and eradication of invasive weeds.

In mid-August the Crowder Prairie garden, next to the walking path, has Clematis overhanging the park's fence with its white flowers. Enjoy the many pollinators visiting the ironweed, lobelia, and monarda. At this point, the Coneflower and Monardia are almost finished for the season.  Joe Pye weed greets you as you walk along the path. The Zizia aurea’s golden flowers as well and the Green and Gold are lying in wait until next year. The sunflowers peak their head above all others ready to start their season soon.