Summer in The Meadow

By Jui Mhatre

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Experience a prairie garden right on the K-State campus and open to all! The Meadow is a landscape of prairie plants native to the Flint Hills located just north of the Beach Museum of Art. The proximity of the Meadow to the museum provides a meaningful compliment to the museum’s regional art collections.


A view of The Meadow

Several varieties of milkweed and other species provide food and habitat for Monarchs and other pollinators. More than 30 species have been identified in the Meadow; more may be revealed as the landscape matures.

The Meadow has been used for teaching, learning, and research on: natural dye plants, mycelium and other bio-building materials, stormwater infiltration, ecosystem services, benefits of time in nature, pollinator sampling and identification, native plant identification and root physiology.

View of The Meadow, a garden of native prairie plants located just north of the Beach Museum of Art
A view of The Meadow | Photo courtesy of Mary Gordon

Take a stroll or enjoy the view through the student-designed custom seating and experience the connections between art, science, and the natural world!

The Meadow is a project of the Beach Museum of Art’s Prairie Studies Initiative, in collaboration with K-State staff, faculty, students, and members of the surrounding community. Made possible in part by the generosity of the Hummel family, K-State’s Green Action Fund, the John & John T. Henley Meadow Fund, and a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Meadow is a living memorial to Professor William C. Hummel and Sara T. Hummel.

Young explorers in The Meadow, a garden of native prairie plants located just north of the Beach Museum of Art.A young explorer in The Meadow