Learning Gardens
Roger Pryor Memorial Prairie Garden
The Roger Pryor Memorial Prairie Garden is a 4,000 square foot tear shaped prairie garden in the front lawn of the Green Center. It was started in 2000 with funding from the Missouri Prairie Foundation and individuals as a memorial to environmentalist Roger Pryor. The garden consists of many forb species---flowering prairie plants---and low growing prairie grasses, with borders of prairie drop seed grass. It is maintained by volunteers and is never watered. Paths through the prairie garden enable visitors to walk through the prairie to view its plants and the wildlife it attracts.
Woodland Garden
The woodland garden is to the east of the prairie garden near the tennis court parking lot. An Eagle Scout project, it was planted with plants donated by Shaw Nature Reserve in 2002. The garden consists of woodland wildflowers, most of which bloom in the spring before the trees leaf out, smaller trees such as dogwood, and tall trees, including a shortleaf pine, the only evergreen tree native to Missouri. Celandine poppy, bloodroot, trillium, dutchman's breeches, ferns, senecio, and various violets are some of the wildflowers in the garden.
Herb Garden
A traditional herb garden was designed and installed in 2002 by Jeanne Baker. It is a formal round garden with natural sandstone flags and brick edging. Represented in the garden are many herbs from three main categories: aromatic, culinary, and medicinal.
Rain Garden
The Rain Garden is located on the rear lawn, to the northeast of the Headquarters building, at the bottom of a gentle slope. The 14-foot diameter garden encompasses close to 200 square feet. The City of University City provided part of the funds for the rain garden project, which serves as a publicly accessible demonstration piece. Rain gardens are one way homeowners can reduce the amount of stormwater entering the River des Peres. The Green Center's rain garden is supplied by two downspouts that drain a majority of the roof area. Water is temporarily retained in the garden during rain events and is filtered out slowly, recharging groundwater supplies. The Rain Garden therefore provides an environmental benefit while creating additional habitat for wildlife.
Geodesic Greenhouse
Completed in 2007, the greenhouse provides an ideal micro-climate for growing plants during the winter and spring months. These plants are used in our gardens and part of our annual plant sale!
The Roger Pryor Memorial Prairie Garden is a 4,000 square foot tear shaped prairie garden in the front lawn of the Green Center. It was started in 2000 with funding from the Missouri Prairie Foundation and individuals as a memorial to environmentalist Roger Pryor. The garden consists of many forb species---flowering prairie plants---and low growing prairie grasses, with borders of prairie drop seed grass. It is maintained by volunteers and is never watered. Paths through the prairie garden enable visitors to walk through the prairie to view its plants and the wildlife it attracts.
Woodland Garden
The woodland garden is to the east of the prairie garden near the tennis court parking lot. An Eagle Scout project, it was planted with plants donated by Shaw Nature Reserve in 2002. The garden consists of woodland wildflowers, most of which bloom in the spring before the trees leaf out, smaller trees such as dogwood, and tall trees, including a shortleaf pine, the only evergreen tree native to Missouri. Celandine poppy, bloodroot, trillium, dutchman's breeches, ferns, senecio, and various violets are some of the wildflowers in the garden.
Herb Garden
A traditional herb garden was designed and installed in 2002 by Jeanne Baker. It is a formal round garden with natural sandstone flags and brick edging. Represented in the garden are many herbs from three main categories: aromatic, culinary, and medicinal.
Rain Garden
The Rain Garden is located on the rear lawn, to the northeast of the Headquarters building, at the bottom of a gentle slope. The 14-foot diameter garden encompasses close to 200 square feet. The City of University City provided part of the funds for the rain garden project, which serves as a publicly accessible demonstration piece. Rain gardens are one way homeowners can reduce the amount of stormwater entering the River des Peres. The Green Center's rain garden is supplied by two downspouts that drain a majority of the roof area. Water is temporarily retained in the garden during rain events and is filtered out slowly, recharging groundwater supplies. The Rain Garden therefore provides an environmental benefit while creating additional habitat for wildlife.
Geodesic Greenhouse
Completed in 2007, the greenhouse provides an ideal micro-climate for growing plants during the winter and spring months. These plants are used in our gardens and part of our annual plant sale!