Post written by ACG horticulture intern, Molly Zimmermann
The sounds of birds calling and flying through the air frequently fills the garden. Have you ever wondered why they’re so drawn to the space? Or do you wonder what plants we have in the garden that help support our avian friends? Well, now that my internship project, The Bird Plant Tour, is done you can learn all about these cool things! The Bird Plant Tour is a self-guided tour that provides information about some of the birds and plants that we have here in the garden.
This project started out as an idea to somehow tie together the impact of animals on our garden and our garden on the animals in the area. As an environmental science major with a focus in ecology, this seemed like a great place to start! I began to think about what knowledge of animals I have the most experience with and thought back to the class I took in the 2024 spring semester, Ornithology 520, which is the study of bird biology, behavior, and ecology. This gave rise to the idea of the focus to be on birds, which are very prevalent in our garden.
I found this project to be very informative and fun. Not only have I deepened my knowledge on the plants and birds in the garden and the wider range of Wisconsin, but I also have the opportunity to share the information that I found. The tour focuses on four birds, and four respective plants that are in some form of mutualistic relationship. These birds and their vegetative partners are the American goldfinch and wild bergamot, the ruby-throated hummingbird and penstemon, the American robin and serviceberry, and the gray catbird and pagoda dogwood. Using the help of Anna Pidgeon, avian ecologist and professor of Ornithology 520, we were able to present the most accurate and useful information in the pamphlet and tour. Besides the information about the birds and plant partnerships, there is also a map of the garden showing where the plants are, as well as general information about why greenspaces such as the garden are important to birds and vice versa.
In addition to the pamphlet there are also four chalkboard signs in the garden tied to each pair detailing their relationships and how they help and interact with each other. Along with this information, I created small black and white illustrations showing what the bird and plant look like in case the birds are not present at the time of the tour! The creation of the signs took a bit of work because I had never created a sign like this before but I think they turned out great and I’m really proud of how they look! You can find these signs in the garden and denoted by the map on the pamphlet in the prairie, the pond edge, the hosta walk (re-vamped this year by horticulture apprentice Josh Nisleit), and the woodland!
Funding and support provided by the Friends of Allen Centennial Garden made the printing of the pamphlets possible for this tour. The continuation and evolution of this project are made possible through the support of Allen Centennial Garden’s full-time staff.
Come into the Garden, pick up a pamphlet, and check it out!