The Prairie Garden is a full-colour annual gardening book produced by a local group of passionate gardeners and horticultural trail-blazers. 

The 2020 edition of The Prairie Garden features the theme “Inspired by Nature.” It focuses on how gardeners in our region can take a cue from nature in everything from design to plant choice to ongoing care, so as to create beautiful, resilient gardens that are less work to maintain and friendlier to all living things. As always, it aims to be a guide for gardeners of all skill levels in the short-season gardening zones of Canada and the US.

Guest-edited by naturalist and cultural resource specialist Maureen Krauss, it features over 35 articles on the theme. Several articles describe the new planting principles of renowned designers like Piet Oudolf who are strongly inspired by our own prairie landscapes. Other articles explore our connection to the natural history of our prairie region.

Still others tell you about hardy native plants that are perfect for gardens, gardening techniques that respond to the new realities of climate change, and stories of people who make gardens that are not just beautiful, but also low-maintenance and pollinator-friendly. Our authors include plantsman and Oudolf collaborator Roy Diblik; well-known garden writers Janet Davis, Sheryl Normandeau, and Tony Spencer; prairie naturalists June Flanagan and John Morgan; scientists, ecologists, and many other plant and gardening experts.

Formerly with Winnipeg’s FortWhyte Alive and now a principal with HTFC Planning & Design, guest editor Maureen Krauss works to make cities and public spaces more environmentally sustainable. By bringing together business, nonprofit, and government to develop a variety of green projects, her work aims to inspire healthier communities and interpret the natural world. Maureen is also a devoted gardener, both at home in Winnipeg and at her summer retreat.