Fallen Maple Leaves - Winter Refuge for Insects

Magnolia​

Fungi (Species?)

Black Walnuts

Snapping Turtle

Back of a Swallowtail

The Secret Garden is on land that was once a large dairy farm. Over the years, the land was damaged by buildings, heavy farm equipment, monocultures, and the animals. We hope that over time the land will recover and there are signs that it is happening. The plants, birds, and other critters in these photographs show that a diverse ecosystem is emerging. As you can see, there are still non-native invasive plants that will be difficult to eradicate. So, we pick our battles and, for now, leave those that do the least damage. But there are also wild and unruly native pioneers that are rebuilding the soil while sheltering and feeding our native wildlife. And every year, there are more! The best thing we can do to help nature thrive is provide food and shelter in the form of native plants. Even a tiny balcony garden makes a difference.​

Toad

Fungi (Species?)

Goldenrod (Doesn't make you sneeze!)​

Wild Grape Vine​

It wouldn't be Spring without Crocuses!

Wild Turkeys

Dogwood and American Fireweed​

Black Vultures

Shed White Tailed Deer Antler

Cicada

Honey Bee and Native Bee

Fungi (Species?)

Tree Stump and Fungi

Bud on a Maple Tree

Black Vulture Baby

Bessbug (Odontotaenius disjunctus)

Fungi (Species?)

Bones (Fawn?)

Blue Jay

Fungi  and Tiny Insect (Species?)

Sycamore Bark

Poke Berry

Dandelion - Make a Wish!​

Cicadas

Dogwood

White Tailed Deer - Doe and Fawn

Ornamental Grass​

Non Native but Shelters Dozens of Birds

Blackberries Ripening

Poke Berry

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Bird on Hackberry​

Large Tolype Moth

Broken Black Vulture Egg

Snail

Spider Web

Shaggy Mane

Northern Flicker Feathers

Chickadee

Chicken of the Woods

Black Walnuts

Toad

Wheel Bugs

Box Turtle

Chickory - Non Native Invasive​

Wheel Bug Nymph

Smart Weed or Knot Weed - Non Native Ivasive

Wine Berry Stem with Thorns - Non Native Invasive

Ghost Pipes

Honey Locust Flowers - Small but Fragrant​

Grape Hyacynth - Non Native​

Sycamore Leaf

White Tailed Deer - Buck

Fungi (Species?)

Who Lives Here?

Burdock - Non-Native Invasive

Rosy Maple Moths (Dryocampa rubicunda)

Spider Web

Barn Owl

Assassin Bug/Wheel Bug Killing a Honey Bee

Fleabane and Bees​

Adult Black Vultures

Cardinal

Young Buck

Two Nests in One Tree

Box Elder​

Front of a Swallowtail

Colorful Sap from a Damaged Cherry Tree

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Preying Mantis

Honey Locust Thorns​

Fleabane

Fungi (Species?)

Young Black Vultures

A Very Big Sycamore Leaf

Fungi (Species?)

Dead Nettle - Non Native Invasive​

Wingstem

Honey Locust Seed Pods​

Barn Owl Feather

Apple Blossoms​

Rat Snake

Lichens

Wine Berry - Non Native Ivasive

Downy Woodpecker

Bumble Bee  on Lamb's Ear

Fungi (Species?)

Wood Sorrel​

Tree Frog on a Sycamore

Eastern Click Beetle (Alaus ocolatus)

Barred Owl Pellet with a Crow's Foot

Garter Snake

Fungi (Species?)

Berries in Bloom

Milkweed and Monarch

Tree Stump and Fungi

The Wild Garden

White Tailed Deer

Spider Web

Spider Web

Where the Deer Walk

Black Locust Seed Pod​

Thistle - Non-Native Invasive

Sunflowers

Barn Owl Fledglings