Amid the giraffes, jaguars, and komodo dragons, a dedicated Family Garden in Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden offers a quietly bustling respite. Planted 34 years ago, its location has shifted closer to Lake Victoria in the center of the zoo.
“It has kept me very busy, which I love,” says master gardener and Family Garden co-chair Karen Green. “We try to change something every year.”
The Southwestern Indiana Master Gardener Association maintains the herb, pollinator, daylily, shade, perennial, and native plants; all are sectioned off into mini-habitats with something blooming each season. Pollinators have a “bug inn” plus old logs, trees, thick-growth ferns and shrubs, and intentionally unkempt areas to attract wildlife.
In 2024, it became a Monarch Waystation for butterflies to feast and lay eggs on more than 10 swamp milkweeds. “Every plant has its own microbiome that it grows in best. It’s such a learning curve,” says master gardener Candy Tolliver, who has tended the garden for 10 years.
More than 20 volunteers lend a hand twice a month. The family-friendly site includes a wishing well and toddler labyrinth. SWIMGA also hosts educational programs, youth engagement through games like hopscotch and Tic-Tac-Toe, and informational kiosks, all designed to familiarize the community with their environment. Upcoming presentations include hummingbirds on July 18 and monarch butterflies on Aug. 1. “It’s a wonderful place to bring the kiddos,” Tolliver says. Green agrees: “The kids love the games.”
Befriending the Bugs
Plant your own pollinator garden with these tips from SWIMGA:
- Determine which habitats can grow best. Plant correctly, and you may spot a caterpillar. Don’t want caterpillars? Be mindful of host plants, which are specific to a region and type of butterfly. “Creating a nice habitat feeds your soul,” master gardener Candy Tolliver says.
- Start small and grow native plants. Zinnias, cosmos, and agastache, plus some members of the carrot family, are easier to manage. Add something new each year so the process is not so overwhelming.
- “Always enjoy it. If it becomes a job, it’s not working,” Tolliver says.
