GALLERY

These are photos taken at Wildergarden:

Leaf debris and drying stick interspersed with green leaves and small violet flowers.
Bunch of purple unopened Virginia bluebells with green leaves behind them.
Small tree with leaves turned yellow and orange for fall, seen from above.
Miriam Murphy wears a bright red winter coat and warm black hat as she uses a tape measure to determine the circumference of a tree during the tree inventory.
A dead branch with small brown and white clumps of fungus
A single white mushroom grows out of a layer of leaf litter.
A firefly sits on a green leaf.
Closeup of a Fox Squirrel
Squirrel perched in the crook of a small tree
Street corner where the forest fragment meets the sidewalk
Young earthworm partly under a small leaf, while laying on moist soil.
Grey and white fluffy clouds blow across the sky.
Catbird standing in concrete birdbath amidst herbaceous plants.
Catbird standing in concrete birdbath amidst herbaceous plants.
A small earthworm lays on damp soil.
Image is filled with low-growing herbacsous plants, and includes a log and dead leaves on the ground.
A bright green watering can and a small black trowel sit next to a freshly dug hole filled with water, surrounded by small herbaceous plants.
Grey squirrel sitting on a tree branch with leaves in the background
A concrete path leads to the Wildergarden house with tall trees plants from the forest stage to the left and right of the path.

Visitors and Events at Wildergarden:

Join us for events at Wildergarden!

Dr. Sean Berthong, a biology professor at Butler University, took soil samples at Wildergarden on April 5, 2024, as a part of grant research. The test results show that we have a healthy cycle of natural nutrition for our native plants and trees. We don’t need to add NPK fertilizer.

Dr. Sean Berthong, a biology professor at Butler University, took soil samples at Wildergarden on April 5, 2024, as a part of grant research. His research assistant is helping him collect soil for testing!

Some members of the Indiana Native Plant Society visited us during Spring 2024. We were so excited to have them!

events

Some members of the Indiana Native Plant Society visited us during Spring 2024. We had a lovely time visiting with like-minded friends!

A Forest and Foraging Walk was held at Wildergarden in April 2024, organized by Tom Corson-Knowles. Julia is speaking to the group.

A Forest and Foraging Walk was held at Wildergarden in April 2024, organized by Tom Corson-Knowles. Tom identified a new plant volunteering here: Clustered black snakeroot.

We held our first annual block party on October 6, 2024! Here was the program invitation.

Miriam Murphy, our Board member, watching birds in a tree across the street. Part of our mission is building biological connectivity with properties around us

Enjoying winter on Feb. 16, 2025

Miriam Murphy of our Wildergarden team did some planting of native vines and shrubs in early December 2024 – eastern Wahoo, Coralberry, Snowberry, Witch Hazel, and yellow Honeysuckle 2

Miriam Murphy of our Wildergarden team did some planting of native vines and shrubs in early December 2024- eastern Wahoo, Coralberry, Snowberry, Witch Hazel, and yellow Honeysuckle

Miriam Murphy planting on November 5

Miriam Murphy planting on November 5

Getting set up at Earth Day Indiana 2024

Getting set up at Earth Day Indiana 2024

Julia and Miriam at the JCC Earth Day Event May 19, 2024

Signage at Wildergarden:

We like people to know what they are looking at when they walk or drive past Wildergarden!

Ecosystem! Wooden Wildergarden sign in foreground with brown leaves and snow covering the ground. There are several small trees and a large and house in the background behind the sign.

The original Wildergarden sign

A bright green National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat Sign leans against brick wall. This property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover, and places to raise young. nwf.org

We are proud to display our Certified Wildlife Habitat Sign

In 2024 we became a Registered Native Planting site with the City of Indianapolis Land Stewardship office.

In October 2023 we got new signage.

In August 2024 we had our website sign made at the Indiana State Fair.

A small card table with a tan plaid tablecloth sits at the curb on the edge of Wildergarden property. A small path leads back into the property, which is filled with vibrant green trees, shrubs, and plants. There are two orange buckets along the path. The table is in the street slightly, so there are two orange safety cones on either side. On the table is a poster that says Wildlife Habitat, a brown photo album, and an informational page. Standing up on the table is a tri-fold poster board with photos taken of plants and animals at Wildergarden. The mission statement is listed as To empower homeowners to provide more ecologically sound land in their yards.

In September 2023 we set up an information table on 60th Street alongside Wildergarden. It’s perfect for pedestrians walking to the Monon Trail and for dog walkers.

signage

In December 2024 our signage at the corner of Winthrop Ave. and 60th Street was completed. Wildergarden is located at a busy residential intersection.

I’m excited that Wildergarden now has its first tri-fold brochure. Here are photos of a few pages, including the steps we advocate for restoring nature in an Indiana yard #1

I’m excited that Wildergarden now has its first tri-fold brochure. Here are photos of a few pages, including the steps we advocate for restoring nature in an Indiana yard #2

I’m excited that Wildergarden now has its first tri-fold brochure. Here are photos of a few pages, including the steps we advocate for restoring nature in an Indiana yard #3

Here are the inside pages of our new brochure Hope you enjoy them! #1

Here are the inside pages of our new brochure Hope you enjoy them! #2

Here are the inside pages of our new brochure Hope you enjoy them! #3

Wildergarden Through the Year:

Join us in photographing the same trees and plants through the years in our Phenology Trails program!

January 24, 2022

February 21, 2022

March 21, 2022

April 18, 2022

May 1, 2022

May 16, 2022

May 29, 2022

June 27, 2022

July 9, 2022

August 13, 2022

September 5, 2022

October 9, 2022

October 23, 2022

November 6, 2022

December 12, 2022

The Wildergarden house in late December, 2024

The Wildergarden house in late December, 2024

The Wildergarden house in late December, 2024

Winter 2024/2025 Wildergarden

February 2025

February 2025

February 2025

February 2025

First snow of the winter in late November 2024

First snow of the winter in late November 2024

First snow of the winter in late November 2024

Here’s our corner, and 35 years ago we had the same type of grass lawn you see across the street. I’m documenting our various cycles of life by posting photos

Our front yard wilderness area at the end of October, 2024

We shovel the snow back onto our property to keep the water on our land!

After rain you can see the little gutter stream on 60th Street, where we have slope

Sunlight around 10 am on May 10 We have patches of sunlight migrating around the garden at different times of day There is diffuse light affected in various ways up, down and all around

Our main path in back yard

Our back gate, next to our largest Eastern red cedar trees. Here they get direct morning sun. I transplanted them from the front yard when they were little seedlings

I love my double-stemmed Hackberry tree (middle of photo). It was one of my first volunteer trees at WG, signaling sucession shift from prairie to forest. It grew up astonishingly fast

Ring Camera Videos

We have several Ring cameras in strategic locations around Wildergarden so we can see our resident and visiting wildlife without disturbing them. Here are some of the visits!

Google Street View & 360

We wanted to share Wildergarden in the context of the surrounding neighborhood! These images were copied from Google Street View with all references to the actual address redacted for privacy. Enjoy!