Native American and Pioneer Garden

Native American and Pioneer Garden. . , In this garden, we've tried to re-create what our ancestors might have planted and depended upon. , At first glance, you may think that this is a pretty "wild" garden. But there are reasons why it doesn't look like the gardens you are used to seeing. , The special prairie plants that Native Americans used for food and medicine were cultivated in gardens close to their homes. The pioneers learned from the Native Americans about these plants and how important the gardens were to survival. , Pioneer families didn't have the time to weed their gardens “just for looks” the way we did. They had to work very hard every day to do the things we now take for granted. The only weeds that worried pioneers gardeners were the strong ones that would spread and choke out the “good” plants. After about 4 years, the pioneer gardens were strong enough to crowd out the weaker weeds all by themselves! , Over the winter, the dried out stalks and overgrown leaves of the plants were left in place to provide food and shelter for birds and animals, and to help protect the valuable plants from the cold and wind. , A brochure providing more information about the specific plants in this garden and their uses can be found in the Welcome Center. It will help you discover more about how our ancestors learned to live off the land.