A place to pause, pray, reflect and experience the beauty of God’s creation.
A place for prayer, quiet reflection, and faithful stewardship of the land.
Founded in 1908 on Christian principles, Wayland Baptist University has always recognized prayer as an essential part of our faith and our calling.
The Wayland Way Prayer Garden is a visible expression of that commitment—a place for students, employees, alumni and visitors to pause, seek wisdom from the Lord and reflect amid the beauty of the Plainview campus.
At Wayland, faith is more than part of our heritage. It remains woven into our classrooms, offices, chapel services, student ministries and the everyday life of the university community.
Each week, Wayland employees gather in prayer, lifting the needs of our university community and acknowledging our reliance on God for wisdom and grace.
Is there something we can pray about with you?
Share your prayer request with the Wayland family. Requests submitted here will be included in the university's weekly prayer time led by the Office of Spiritual Life.
We would be honored to pray for you.
Share your request with the Wayland family. We would be honored to pray with you.
Prayer requests are shared with the appropriate Wayland prayer team.
The Wayland Way Prayer Garden began with a vision from Betty Boone, one of only two remaining grandchildren of university founders Dr. James and Sarah Wayland.
Betty envisioned a space that would beautify the Plainview campus while providing a lasting reminder of the importance of faith and prayer at Wayland.
An initial gift from Betty and her husband, Ralph, helped establish both the fund and the vision for the project. Their generosity became the foundation for a garden that would grow through the support of others who shared that vision.
This peaceful space was made possible through the generous support of Betty & Ralph Boone, The Sally Society, and the High Plains Water Conservation District.
Betty Boone first envisioned a garden that would beautify Wayland's Plainview campus while providing a lasting reminder of the importance of faith and prayer at Wayland. Betty and Ralph's initial gift helped establish the fund and begin turning that vision into reality.
The Sally Society women's giving group provided significant funding for the garden. Betty's cousin, Linda Adkins, a Plainview resident and charter member of the Sally Society, helped champion a project that reflected the values that inspired the garden from the beginning.
A $20,000 grant from the High Plains Water Conservation District helped bring the garden's water-saving features and native and adapted plant ecosystem to life.
The Wayland Way Prayer Garden is more than a place for prayer and reflection. Its landscape demonstrates how thoughtful design can conserve water and care for the natural resources of the High Plains.
Instead of allowing rain to immediately leave the site as runoff, the garden's soil absorbs and holds stormwater where it falls, allowing natural rainfall to nourish the landscape.
Plants suited to the semi-arid High Plains climate help create a resilient landscape while keeping supplemental water needs to a minimum.
Rainwater moves into the soil to nourish plant roots, while water that continues deeper into the ground can contribute to local groundwater recharge.
Together, these features create a landscape designed for the High Plains: beautiful, resilient and mindful of one of our region's most important natural resources.
The garden demonstrates how thoughtful landscape design can provide a peaceful place for people while conserving the limited natural resources of the High Plains.
Rainfall is absorbed and held directly in the soil where plant roots can reach it. By keeping more rainfall on site, the landscape reduces runoff and makes better use of natural precipitation.
The garden's design reflects green-infrastructure practices used in dry climates to manage stormwater naturally.
Plants were selected for their ability to thrive in the regional climate. Drip irrigation supported the landscape as the plants became established, and the garden's plant selection and water-conscious design reduce the need for supplemental watering compared with a traditional garden space.
The garden brings together prayer, beauty and responsible stewardship. Caring thoughtfully for the land and water entrusted to us allows the space to serve both the Wayland community and the environment around it.
A selection of native and adapted plants helps the garden thrive in the semi-arid climate of the Texas High Plains while creating a peaceful, welcoming landscape.
Part of the garden's water-conscious plant palette selected for the regional climate.
Part of the garden's water-conscious plant palette selected for the regional climate.
Part of the garden's water-conscious plant palette selected for the regional climate.
Part of the garden's water-conscious plant palette selected for the regional climate.
The Wayland Way Prayer Garden was made possible through collaboration among university leadership, design professionals and landscape specialists.
Campus Operations & Facility Services
Whether you come seeking quiet reflection, carrying a prayer, or simply needing a moment to be still, the Wayland Way Prayer Garden is a place for you.
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