A pocket prairie is a small-scale, biodiverse planting of native prairie grasses and wildflowers designed to restore native ecosystems in urban or developed areas. These plantings provide vital habitat and food sources for native wildlife, pollinators, and songbirds, improve soil health through deep root systems, and increase water infiltration. Pocket prairies require minimal maintenance after establishment and can be created using a combination of seeds and live plants.
Want to participate in prairie work days? Email, Alissa Dare for more information.
Texas was once covered by an endless sea of grass and wildflowers, the only area in the world with a Blackland prairie. We have lost 99% of it. The PUMC pocket prairie will be an island of native habitat, giving us a peaceful place to walk, pray, and experience and learn about the plants, birds, and pollinators that we host.
In November 2024, we came together to scatter and stomp wildflower seeds to get the prairie started.
September 2025
The grass along the trail to the prayer garden grew very well with the almost weekly summer rain! We got some buffalo grass and blue grama grass and some of it is seeding now.
Unfortunately, the Johnson grass grew so tall in the prairie that the only option was to mow it down. Thank you to Johnny, John, Bruce, and Shelby for mowing it! We did get some flowers though. Hopefully some of their seed went down and will come back in the spring.
The hillside is growing a few flowers that are pictured below. One great thing is that the land at our church hosts the Dickcissel bird. We have included a picture that shows the stats on its population decline. We are really privileged that our land was able to host some of the birds this summer!
For work this fall, we will focus on putting native flower plants and bluebonnet seeds in the front area pictured below and wildflower seed along the gully where all the thistles were growing. We are hoping some of the flowers we planted this spring will return, we will see!
Buffalo Grass
Blue Grama Grass
Bumblebee on a Spanish Gold
Partridge Pea
Snow on the Prairie
Mock Vervain
