Come for a Cornwall garden walk through Birdsong Acres, and enjoy seeing what you can do for bees, birds and wildlife with native plants, shrubs, trees and rewilding. We have 8 different gardens, on a hillside, bordered by woods and meadows.

Originally planned and planted to offer food, nesting, habitat and cover from May-October, this is a haven for wildlife., with crabapples, serviceberries, fruit trees and a Elderberry Bower. There are 6 bluebird boxes, with a 2nd brood of bluebirds in one, tree swallows in the others, and orioles who keep returning, year after year, weaving their wondrous dangling nests in a tall poplar. We've left dead trees standing for bird perches, and insects for feeding. It's also a great way for us to birdwatch from inside! As we've learned about the importance of dark skies and moist grassy areas for fireflies -now endangered- we're keeping our patch of dark sky, without outside lights, and shades drawn at night.

Learn about rewilding lawn areas – it's easy, and looks lovely! We're in Year 2, and the tall grasses ripple in the wind, with many butterflies, moths and birds. There's an Edible Hedge, with native elderberries, black currants, and hazelnuts, along with swamp milkweed, willow, Burnet/meadow sweet, echinacea, rudbeckia and blueberries.

These gardens are a work in progress, along with a Pollinator Garden, created with the lasagna method, and inspired by Pollinator Pathway NE to plant natives, remove invasives, without pesticides and reduce lawn. Birdsong Acres is one of the many PPAC gardens in Addison County, with 10 towns learning, planting and growing for pollinators. Come join us!

Sunday, June 11th, from 10 a.m. – 2 pm.

Email bethanybarryvt@comcast.net to RSVP and for directions.