8ft ‘botanical beasts’ and sea of white amongst top species to spot on Wakehurst’s American Prairie

Five years in the making  

In the heart of the Wakehurst landscape, the six-acre American Prairie forms one of the Sussex garden’s most ambitious horticultural projects of the last decade. With fewer than 1% of tallgrass prairies remaining in their native United States, this remarkable landscape aims to raise awareness of this threatened habitat, whilst acting as a living experiment for climate-resilient gardening. As Britain braces for hotter, drier summers and wetter, wilder winters, it’s vital that landscapes such as this are developed to create thriving gardens across the country.  

Now in its fifth year, the Prairie started life when horticulturists and Millennium Seed Bank scientists travelled to the Midwest in 2019 to hand-collect native seeds. A bespoke mix of plants, including species such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), was sown in 2020, with 50,000 nursery-raised plugs planted the following year. Now the American Prairie flourishes into a new botanical spectacle each year, a vibrant demonstration of how diverse plant ecosystems can thrive with minimal inputs and maximum benefits for wildlife and soil health. With their deep roots extending a metre underground, prairie plants are not only resilient to extreme weather but also actively help in conserving water and capturing carbon in the soil. This summer, the prairie promises to be a summer showstopper, with golden Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) putting on a bold yellow display, reminiscent of the prairie’s first bloom in 2021. Also due to be dramatic this year are big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and whorled rosinweed (Silphium trifoliatum), expected to grow to heights of up to eight feet.  

How to plant your own prairie  

Wakehurst’s Prairie Lead, Jack Harrison, shares an insight into managing an American Prairie at home, highlighting the top species to take inspiration from this summer.  

Harrison commented:  

“Growing your own American Prairie will suit you if you want your garden to develop and change every year. It is staggering at Wakehurst to see how this garden that was predominantly yellow and made up of only two species in its first summer has become such a diverse mix of 75 species in just four years. Less watering is a massive benefit to the climate and to the gardener! You will have to water any newly seeded areas and new plants that go in from pots in their first season, but after that, they really do look after themselves. This will suit you too if you want your garden to look like a natural landscape. All our plants on the prairie are straight species, so the hope is they replicate what a prairie looks like in the United States.” 

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) 
This graceful grass brings soft movement to your garden with its blue-green leaves that turn a glowing copper-orange in autumn. It’s perfect for sunny, dry spots and doesn’t mind being left alone. Just give it a divide every four to five years in spring to keep it looking its best. 

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) 
This tall prairie favourite is expected to grow up to eight feet, with rich purple seed heads that catch the light beautifully. Nicknamed ‘Turkey Foot’, the flowering spike of this perennial grass resembles the three toes of a turkey’s foot. It copes well with everything from moist to dry soil - even heavy clay, and likes to be chopped back in winter to keep it healthy. 

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) 
You’ll get months of cheerful yellow daisies with these cottage garden classics. Loved by pollinators and happy to self-seed, they’re perfect for adding long-lasting colour. Deadhead regularly to keep the flowers coming and sow in spring or autumn for best results. 

Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) 
A real summer star, tickseed offers golden blooms through the warmer months. It thrives in well-drained soil and shrugs off dry spells with ease. Snip off dead flowers to keep it blooming and give it a light autumn trim to tidy up the clumps. 

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) 
This prairie essential is all about big colour and bold structure. The pink petals and orange cones are not only striking but loved by bees too. Plant it in fertile, well-drained soil and cut it back in late winter. Every few years, divide any overcrowded clumps to help it flourish. 

Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis) 
With tall spires of soft purple and blue flowers, wild lupine adds a lovely wild feel to borders. It prefers sandy, slightly acidic soil and dislikes sitting in soggy ground. Plant around 30cm apart and stake if you're in a windy spot. 

Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) 
This late bloomer offers beautiful sky-blue flowers in early autumn, just when most of the garden is winding down. It’s great for pollinators and enjoys loamy or chalky soils. Divide every few years in spring and give it a light trim after flowering for a neater finish.  

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) 
This evergreen plant in the carrot family has bold, spiky globes and silvery, strappy leaves. It thrives on neglect, loving poor, dry soils and needing hardly any water once established - ideal for low-maintenance spots. 

Iain Parkinson, Head of Landscape and Horticulture, shared:  

“What we’ve created at Wakehurst is a kind of horticultural alchemy; American prairie species interwoven with British soils to transform an under-performing part of the Garden into a beautiful living ecosystem. But this garden is more than just a spectacle; it’s a demonstration of how we can restore ecological balance by working with nature. The prairie lights up the landscape with colour and character, its plants perfectly aligned with the ecological and seasonal rhythms of nature. It teaches us that when plant communities are allowed to evolve organically, beauty, biodiversity, and climate resilience naturally follow.” 

Elsewhere in the gardens, summer showstoppers such as South Park and Coronation Meadow are in full bloom. A jewel in the crown of the landscape, the enchanting wildflower Coronation Meadow is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year, created in 2015 as a response to King Charles’ (then-Prince of Wales) call for new wildflower meadows to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Coronation. For sunnier days, Wakehurst’s woodlands of the world beckon with shady spots provided by the canopy of British birches, North American redwoods and Australian ‘dinosaur trees’ Wollemi pines. Neighbouring the American Prairie, the Water Gardens offer a tranquil retreat, where lush greenery provides a verdant backdrop to trickling streams and still ponds.

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