Sawmill County Park's Backyard Wildlife Demonstration Gardens

Gardening is a wonderful way to learn about nature and diverse wildlife habitats around Flagstaff. At Sawmill County Park, plants native to the Colorado Plateau are living in five different habitat gardens. The plants provide cover and food for wildlife.

The FOREST GARDEN hosts trees and shade-loving wildflowers. In shaded habitats like this, less sunlight warms the ground, leaving more moisture to percolate into the soil. The higher humidity also cools the garden. The shade on the north side of the building helps mimic the shade of the forest. This garden has been adopted by Morning Dew Landscaping. To contact Morning Dew Landscaping, click here.

The LIZARD GARDEN has plants with low water needs and also has plenty of large, sunny rocks that store heat and provide homes for lizards. With their southwest exposure, the boulders heat up quickly and release heat after sunset, creating a warm microclimate ideal for plants adapted to warmer, drier conditions. This garden has been adopted by The Arizona Native Plant Society - Flagstaff Chapter.

The HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN features many of our nectar-rich wildflowers for wildlife and visiting hummingbirds. Open to the east, this plot is bathed by the morning sun, while a screen of trees on the west side will keep the afternoon sun from drying out the soil too much. This garden has been adopted by the Northern Arizona Audubon Society.

The WILDFLOWER GARDEN mimics open sunny grasslands of northern Arizona. Open grassy meadows provide forage for rodents and deer, and plenty of insects for birds, nesting in the grasses or nearby trees. The Willow Bend Environmental Education Center has adopted this garden.

The POND AND WETLAND GARDEN provides precious water and saturated soils for wetland-adapted plants and thirsty wildlife. Many insects, amphibians, birds and other wildlife breed in and around water even though they feed in neighboring and more dominate drier habitats. This garden has been adopted by Life Drawing and Education.

Gardens are adopted by local groups and organizations for a two-year period. If you are interested in adopting a garden in the future, please call Coconino County Parks and Recreation at (928) 774-5139.