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PGT Nature Garden blog

What is the Prairie Garden Trust?

In 1971 Herb and Joan Domke moved to the land which now forms the basis of the 180-acre Prairie Garden Trust in central Missouri. As their interest in gardening expanded into an appreciation of the natural landscape, they began to focus on enhancing what was there and adding more native plants.

White oak woods were thinned and managed for long-term growth and visual appeal. Meandering paths drew attention to the abundant spring wildflowers such as trout lily, Dutchman's breeches, rue anenome and bird's foot violet.

They dug ponds of varying depths. Lotus, water lilies, pickerel weed, arrowhead and southern blue flag were given homes in the mucky bottoms and damp edges, which in turn attracted more variety of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

In spite of all these changes, one habitat remained out of character. Old fescue fields stood as poor reminders of the native prairies that once enriched a third of Missouri. So in 1986, they began the long effort of converting fescue to a diverse mix of native grasses and flowers.

Although Herb passed away in 1991, the board created to manage this irrevocable trust continues the effort. The primary efforts to date have focused on developing the habitats (converting fescue to native plantings, creating more savannah-like borders between the fields and the woods, etc.).

A fire broke out on a bitterly cold winter night February 2004 at the almost-century old farmhouse of the PGT and by the next day it was all ashes. Firefighters worked hard to save the interesting cedar "porch" addition that Herb Domke built in the 1970s, but smoldering embers reignited and burned that to the ground a few days later. A new house for Joan Domke/future visitor center was completed a year later. A 38 x 16 room along the west side of the building will allow occasional small education/conservation groups to visit the PGT and have a place to gather with a porch of equal size along it.

Vision of the PGT

In 1995 the board created a vision for what we'd like the PGT to be twenty-five years or so in the future:

The Prairie Garden Trust will provide a relaxed setting in which people can learn about the natural environment and themselves. It will be a retreat into nature and all its beauty. To do this, the Trust will develop and host a variety of learning sessions for scheduled groups and individuals in its "Landscapes for Learning."

At this time, we're still working on enhancing these landscapes with more native plantings. In the future, though, we hope to create the learning programs to meet that long-term vision.

Garden clubs, teachers, college art and science classes have all visited the PGT. Individuals interested in the ongoing development have also strolled around. There are no facilities open to the public, but we do try to keep paths mowed through the fields and forests and around the various ponds. You can follow the self-guided walk highlighted on this website or download a tour pdf file. If you are interested in a visit, please email us at: prairiegarden@aol.com