The National Wildlife Federation has teamed up with the Baltimore Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority to install an “Oriole Garden” featuring native plants that will attract orioles, butterflies and other local birds. It’s part of National Wildlife Federation’s Grow Together Baltimore program, working with communities to grow vibrant green spaces that benefit Baltimore’s residents in many ways.
The Oriole Garden will provide critical urban wildlife habitat and demonstrate how residents can beautify their backyards, schools or businesses with distinctive native plants.
Baltimore Orioles – both the birds and the baseball players – live and play in the Baltimore area. A native plant garden provides orioles, other local birds, butterflies and pollinators the food and shelter they need to survive. Native plants can be a hit where other species strike out. Native plants are adapted to the local climate, and require less maintenance than ornamental or non-native varieties.
Native plants also reflect the uniqueness of a location. The Garden will feature many orange plants - perfect for Baltimore during baseball season. Always root for the home team! In addition to providing important wildlife habitat, native plant gardens can help reduce polluted runoff from entering local waters and the Chesapeake Bay.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is the perfect location for the Oriole Garden
Baltimore is affectionately known as “Birdland,” and the Oriole Garden is designed to attract orioles and other local birds.Much like our baseball team, Baltimore orioles winter in warmer climates but return home in the spring. The Oriole Garden at Camden Yards will welcome back both sets of birds each spring. Even better, the garden coincides with the orioles’ migratory pattern, putting it in their direct path home.The garden signifies the Baltimore Orioles’ commitment to their community and a cleaner, greener Baltimore. Through the Garden, the team can educate and inspire fans to improve their own backyard habitat and Grow Together.
We can’t let the home team get shutout – we need urban wildlife habitat for Baltimore’s native birds, bees and butterflies.
Learn more about the Baltimore Oriole
National Wildlife Federation’s Grow Together Baltimore program will establish wildlife-friendly green spaces for the benefit of Baltimore residents, improving local waterways and our communities.
National Wildlife Federation and our Maryland state affiliate, the National Aquarium, are leading an effort to help Baltimore Grow Together by certifying the City as the largest Community Wildlife Habitat™ in the Chesapeake Bay region. Grow Together Baltimore will create backyard habitat, beautify neighborhoods and schools, reduce pollution, and further a sense of community. Work has already begun on this important program to certify 600 homes, 10 parks, and 6 schools, creating a network of oases for urban and suburban wildlife that will span the city.
About the Garden
- Located behind the Veteran’s Memorial at the Eutaw Street entrance to Camden Yards
- Encompasses 10,311 ft2
- Includes approximately 12,000 native plants; approximately 26 species
- Plants provided by North Creek Nurseries
- Garden design created by Claudia West, Principal Planting Design Director, Phyto Studios
- The project involved the removal of 3,400 ft2 of turf/sod
- To learn more about the garden, read the Oriole Garden at Camden Yards fact sheet!
- Get the list of plants used at the Oriole Garden at Camden Yards
The Oriole Garden at Camden Yards was designed in partnership with the National Aquarium and Blue Water Baltimore and made possible through generous support from many including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through CSX, Tim and Lisa Wyman, the Fredrick W. Richmond Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
