Winter 2010

Nature Areas

Nature and Wildlife Gardens
  • Portage Park Nature and Wildlife Garden
  • Prospect Gardens Park Nature and Wildlife Garden
  • Rutherford Sayre Park Nature and Wildlife Garden
  • Bessemer Park Nature and Wildlife Garden
  • Horner Park Nature and Wildlife Garden
  • Ogden Park Nature and Wildlife Garden

Directions:
The Portage Park field house is located at 4100 N. Long Avenue
(click here for map)

Prospect Gardens Park is located at 10940-11000 S. Prospect Avenue
(click here for map)

Rutherford Sayre Park field house is at 6871 W. Belden Avenue
(click here for map)

Bessemer Park field house is at 8930 S. Muskegon Avenue
(click here for map)

Horner Park field house is located at 2741 W. Montrose Avenue
(click here for map)

Ogden Park is located at 6500 S. Racine Avenue
(click here for map)

Description:
The Nature Gardens display showy native species and native cultivars that are both beautiful and attractive to wildlife including birds, small mammals, butterflies, moths, and other insects. Native species are well adapted to the Illinois climate and as a result require little watering beyond establishment or use of pesticides. The gardens display plants for shady woodland areas, wet areas, and open sunny locations. The plantings are arranged in a garden-like way rather than the wild mixture that is usually seen in a natural setting, which may not be appropriate in a home landscape or small yard. Plants are marked with labels for easy identification.

Each tree, shrub, or perennial in the garden plays a specific role in providing food or shelter for wildlife. Some plants play a multiple-role in providing these functions for several life stages of the same species. For example: Milkweed provides food (leaves) for caterpillar and flower nectar for adult butterflies. Other plants provide food for many species. For example, Wild Cherry provides food (leaves) for caterpillars, as well as food for birds - insects in spring and fruit in the fall. Some interesting facts are listed below.

For example, did you know that the following plants provide seeds and fruit for birds?
  • Crabapples (Malus ‘Prairie Fire’)
  • Serviceberry (Amelanchier species)
  • Little Bluestem (Andropogon scoparius)
  • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
  • American Plum (Prunus americana)
  • Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)
Host plants provide food (usually leaves) for caterpillars and include the following species:
  • Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) for Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillars
  • Milkweeds (Asclepias species) for Monarch caterpillars
  • Hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis) for Hackberry caterpillars
  • Paw Paw (Asimias triloba) for Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars
  • Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) for Red Spotted Purple caterpillars
  • Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) for Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillars
Flowering plants that provide nectar for butterflies include:
  • Butterfly Bush (Buddlea species)
  • Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
  • Prairie Blazingstar (Liatris species)
  • Joe Pyeweed (Eupatorium maculatum)
  • New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)
  • New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Learn how to plant a garden for wildlife by visiting one of the following Nature Gardens at Portage Park, Prospect Gardens Park, Rutherford Sayre Park, Bessemer Park, Horner Park, Ogden Park.

Chicago Park District
Department of Natural Resources
February 2002