Wildlife garden planted at Lambertville’s newest park

Lambertville residents volunteers from Lambertville Goes Wild and Lambertville’s Environmental and Recreation commissions on Oct. 12 to plant a garden for wildlife in Lambertville’s newest park, located at the corner of North Union and Cherry streets.

Nearly 700 native plants were installed, including common milkweed, butterflyweed, Joe-pye-weed, wild bergamot, mountain mint, asters, coneflowers, goldenrod and others. These native species not only provide food for birds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators, but many are also food for caterpillars, including those of the Monarch butterfly, said organizers.

The planting was funded by a grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions.

The park was acquired through an open space purchase in 2011, and is the second wildlife garden planted in Lambertville this fall. The first was along the south border of Cavallo Park, and it helps support stormwater management at the site.

Utilizing city-owned open space for these gardens is consistent with Lambertville’s pledge to support the New Jersey Wildlife Action Plan, according to Lambertville Goes Wild.

Lambertville recently received recognition from the National Wildlife Federation as a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat. Lambertville Goes Wild promotes the wider use of native plants to support all varieties of wildlife.