The Pilgrim Labyrinth & Butterfly Garden in Hyde Park, Kansas City, Missouri, is a calming, natural habitat for walking meditation, maintained by the Pilgrim Center, a local nonprofit organization focused on building community in urban Kansas City, Missouri.

The labyrinth path is designed to guide the visitor around to the center, through the native plant garden that is a certified Monarch Waystation. Plants critical to sustaining pollinator populations grow in the Butterfly Garden, including Black Eyed Susan, Golden Alexander, Little Joe Pye Weed, Rough Blazing Star, Culver's Root, Catmint, Calamint, Phlox, and bee balms, as well as several varieties of milkweed and goldenrod. 

Although a native garden is less formal than other types, it does require regular maintenance and care. From transplanting and trimming established plants to regular weeding and mulching, the flower beds need attention weekly. The hardscape is a crushed granite path with edging, and it needs to be adjusted and amended periodically. In addition, grass and other weeds must be kept from establishing in the path. All of this is accomplished with human labor; no herbicides or pesticides are used in the Pilgrim Labyrinth & Butterfly Garden.

And many plants grown in the Labyrinth Butterfly Garden spread very vigorously and can be divided and transplanted to establish plants in other areas. Native gardens including those at Cultivate KC Plexpod and the Pendleton Heights Community Orchard have both been augmented by plants started at the Pilgrim Labyrinth. At the Pilgrim Center, we gladly offer our excess plants for free to anyone who wants to start a native garden. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide not only peace in place but seeds and seedlings for more peace, in more places.

If you are able to give, please consider making a donation today.