A Good Resource for Wildlife Gardening

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I was traveling for work last week and visited Black Hill Regional Park in Maryland. It was a beautiful park set on a lake, and it had a lovely nature center. An entire hillside was planted in what I think was common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). About 5 feet tall, it was in full bloom. Spectacular! As you might expect, there were several varieties of bumblebees, butterflies, and other pollinators reaping a bonanza. The lack of butterflies surprised me. However, a colony of Purple Martins in martin houses and Barn Swallows nesting under the eaves of the nature center probably took a toll on their numbers. (Butterflies are good treats for baby birds.)

On the milkweed we saw Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Orange Sulphurs, Silver-spotted Skippers, and Great Spangled Fritillaries (see photo), a species I’m not familiar with here in Oklahoma. There was another skipper I have not identified yet, as well. It was a treat seeing and photographing a few butterflies that were new to me.

Various Species

The nature center also had some formal gardens planted with a variety of natives and annuals including Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea), Salvia (Salvia nemorosa), Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis), Orange Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Zinnias, Whorled Tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata), Red Beebalm (Monarda didyma), Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum), Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), and others. All these plants attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, or benefit wildlife in some way.

Green and Gold

I’m familiar with most of these flowers, but Green and Gold was entirely new to me. To me, people typically use “green” and “gold” as adjectives. So, I looked at the park’s convenient plant marker and wondered, “Green and gold what?” Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I now know that Green and Gold is a plant in the sunflower family, and Gold and Green (evidently a more common search) is a Christmas album by Sugarland. (Please forgive my ignorance of both.)

Green and Gold is a small, low-growing perennial, native to the Eastern U.S. It is a woodland species that prefers part shade. According the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, it “…seems to grow better if neglected than if pampered. Seems to benefit from being divided or transplanted at least every other year. Very adaptable (though will not stand full shade), tolerating both flood and drought.”(Woot! Another plant to add to my growing list of flowers that prefer neglect and my style of gardening!)

So, I learned something new from my visit to this nature center, and I thought it was a good lesson to pass on: Local nature centers are great places to visit to discover species that benefit wildlife and do well in your area. You may not think of a nature center as a gardening resource, but many (if not most) will have butterfly and hummingbird gardens, and they will also try to foster native habitats that benefit a variety of wildlife. State and regional parks and many large municipalities have nature centers. They are worth visiting if you are interested in gardening for wildlife.

Meet Leslie Miller

Leslie Ann Miller shares 3.5 acres in rural Oklahoma with birds, butterflies and wide variety of animals. She is currently transforming her yard with plantings…

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