
Overwintering and Native Birds
It’s cold and icy outside; how can we help our overwintering birds find shelter and nutritious food? Offering suet and feeders can supplement the diet of some birds, but planting native plants is a healthier and more sustainable way to support, protect and feed the birds that overwinter here in Lunenburg. Different birds eat from a variety of native plants, so the more types of native plants we grow, the more kinds of native birds we can attract and support.

Leaving seed heads on sedges, grasses, and flowering plants throughout the winter provides important food for seed-eating birds, especially during harsh winter months. Berries that persist into the winter are also an important food source. Because perennial plants remain year after year, the benefits of planting native plants don’t end when winter does. Spring through fall, these plants also provide songbirds with nesting opportunities, shelter, and the caterpillars on which these birds rely to raise their young.

Some of the birds you might see in our library gardens are dark-eyed juncos, finches, black-capped chickadees, cardinals, red-winged blackbirds, cedar waxwings, robins and sparrows. Let a librarian know if you see one!
If you are looking for ideas, here are a few of the plants thriving in our library gardens that provide food and habitat for birds in the winter:

Native grasses and sedges
· Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
· Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
· Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
· Plains oval sedge (Carex brevior)
Non-woody flowering plants
· Asters – New England (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), Smooth (S. laeve), Aromatic (S. oblongifolium), Stiff (Ionactis linariifolia)
· Liatris – Northern Blazing Star (Liatris novae-angliae)
· Hyssop – Purple Giant Hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia)
· Goldenrod – Upland White (Solidago ptarmicoides), Blue Stemmed (S. caesia)
Shrubs
· Northern bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)
· Shrubby St Johnswort (Hypericum prolificum)
· Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina)
· Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata)
· Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra)
Trees
· River birches (Betula nigra)
· Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Pollinator Garden
In front of the library, you’ll find our vibrant pollinator garden, a haven buzzing with life! This garden isn’t just beautiful, it’s specifically designed to support endangered native bee species. Planted with a variety of colorful, native plants and flowers rich in nectar and pollen, it provides vital food sources for these vital pollinators. So come visit, explore the garden, and learn about the essential role native pollinators play in our ecosystem!

Children’s Garden
Children’s Herb Garden Project – In the spring of 2021, the idea of creating a children’s garden on library grounds began to take shape. Our vision is that this garden will be a sensory experience for the children and families who visit the library. To this end, we plan to grow herbs and vegetables that can be touched, smelled and tasted by lots of little visitors. Now this garden is planted, maintained, and loved by children year after year!
See the children’s page for all upcoming planting programs.
Teen Garden
Teen Salsa Garden – In 2024 the Teen Room grew our own salsa! Our goal with our garden is to promote food literacy and show teens the process of growing their own food from seed, an important life skill. We planted tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, and cilantro and learned how to create salsa from our harvest at the end of the summer.
See the teen page for all upcoming planting programs.