TALMAGE CROSSING PRAIRIE GARDEN
2026 Stewardship Season
Volunteers tend to the Talmage Crossing Prairie Garden on selected Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the season.
WEDNESDAYS, 5 - 7 pm
April 29, 2026
May 13, 2026
May 27, 2026
June 3, 2026
June 10, 2026
June 24, 2026
July 1, 2026
July 8, 2026
July 29, 2026
August 5, 2026
August 12, 2026
September 2, 2026
September 9, 2026
September 30, 2026
October 14, 2026
SATURDAYS, 10 am - Noon
April 25, 2026
May 9, 2026
May 23, 2026
June 27, 2026
July 25, 2026
August 1, 2026
August 22, 2026
September 26, 2026
October 10, 2026
October 24, 2026
Please see our calendar for additional information.
Talmage Avenue SE & 21st Avenue SE
The Talmage Crossing Prairie Garden is a powerful example of neighbors transforming an overlooked and heavily impacted space into a thriving prairie and rain-garden landscape.
Located along the BNSF railway crossing, this garden now provides pollinator habitat, improves stormwater management, and offers a welcoming green space for walkers, bikers, and the entire community.
From Neglected Land to Community Vision
Before its transformation, this triangular parcel of land was used by BNSF Railway to store crushed rock and was routinely treated with herbicides to control six-foot-tall weeds. The soil was depleted, eroding, and largely lifeless.
Beginning in the late 2000s, neighbors decided to reclaim the space.
Volunteers removed invasive weeds by hand, hauled away debris, laid wood chips to suppress new growth, and began testing early plantings. At the same time, the community worked with City Council members to install plantable medians and began exploring how to stabilize and restore the broader site.
Working Toward Permission and a Plan
In 2008, neighbors began working with BNSF Railway to request permission to plant along the tracks. Because of safety and sight-line concerns, the process took several years and required careful planning, soil testing, and trial plantings to improve soil health.
In 2012, BNSF agreed to lease the land for the garden with several requirements:
Installation of a 6-foot chain-link fence along the tracks
No food crops, benches, or large signage
Plants limited to 3 feet in height
That fall, neighbors, students, and volunteers gathered to dig and plant the first prairie and rain-garden beds—officially establishing the Talmage Crossing Prairie Garden.
Expanding the Vision
The garden continued to grow over the years as volunteers added new native prairie plots each spring. In 2019, the Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) partnered with Metro Blooms to develop an expanded landscape and planting plan for the nearby Talmage Triangle rain-garden project.
In 2021, SECIA established the Talmage Triangle Rain Garden Sustainability Fund, supported by a generous neighborhood donation. This fund helps ensure the long-term care of the garden and supports pollinator habitat across Southeast Como.
The Garden Today
Today, the Talmage Crossing Prairie Garden is a vibrant corridor of native plants and wildlife habitat.
Bees and butterflies gather nectar from the prairie flowers. Rabbits and wild turkeys forage nearby. Walkers, joggers, cyclists, and even railroad workers regularly stop to appreciate the transformation.
What was once a neglected strip of land has become a welcoming patch of healing nature—created and sustained by neighbors working together.
