Downtown in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Prairie Garden
The land that was discovered by the early settlers in Ohio was composed of large expanses of forests, with scatterings of small and large prairie openings. Today only fragments of those prairies remain, but those beautiful grasses and wildflowers can still be used in backyards and public spaces across central Ohio. The native grasses and wildlfowers that have been selected in this garden are representative of Ohio's remnant prairies.
Wildflowers/Forbs
Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Bergamot (Monarda fisulosa)
Butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa)
Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
New England aster (Aster novae-angliae)
Ohio goldenrod (Oligoneuron ohioense)
Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohioensis)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)
Stiff coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata)
Grasses
Little bluestem (Schizachyium socparium)
Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus Heterolepsis)
Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
Create Your Own Prairie Landscape
Help prairie plants thrive by planting them in open areas with full sun exposureand minimal root competition from trees or other plants.
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Select plants that complement the scale of your landscape. For example, short grasses allow room for wildflowers and large plants work well as focal points.
Include plants that bloom at different times of the year for a successional bloom throughout the growing season.
Avoid using fertilizers, pesticides, or irrigation. Wildflowers will provide food for beneficial insects, which aid in controlling pest insect populations.
Plant grasses and wildflowers together to create a naturalistic meadow effect. The dense root system of the grasses will help keep out weeds.
Group several plants of the same species together to increase pollination and seed set. This also create an impactful colorful display.
Erected by Columbus Recreation and Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry • Natural Features • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 39° 57.641′ N, 83° 0.506′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of Belle Street and West Capital Street, on the right when traveling north on Belle Street. Touch for map
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Scioto Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dorrian Green (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Memorial Bridge (about 500 feet away); World War Memorial Bridge (about 500 feet away); Triceratops Horridus / Tyrannosaurus Rex (about 600 feet away); Celebration of Life (about 600 feet away); Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station / Macklin Hotel (about 600 feet away); Stegosaurus Stenops / Velociraptor Mongoliensis (about 600 feet away); Scioto River Historical Marker (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 30, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 30, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
