The Best Animals to Spot in Public Gardens Across America

Public gardens across America offer more than just stunning botanical displays—they’re vibrant ecosystems teeming with wildlife. From butterflies dancing among flower beds to birds soaring overhead, these sanctuaries provide refuge for countless animal species. Whether you’re a dedicated wildlife enthusiast or a casual visitor, spotting animals in their natural habitats adds an exciting dimension to any garden visit. This guide will take you through the most fascinating creatures you might encounter in America’s public gardens and where you’re most likely to find them.

Butterflies: Nature’s Flying Jewels

Butterflies are perhaps the most visible and beloved wildlife in public gardens. With over 750 species found across the United States, these winged wonders add movement, color, and life to garden spaces. Monarch butterflies, with their distinctive orange and black pattern, are particularly cherished visitors, though their populations have declined by approximately 80% in the last two decades. Many public gardens now include dedicated butterfly gardens with native milkweed and nectar plants to support these pollinators. The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania feature spectacular butterfly exhibits where visitors can observe dozens of species, including Painted Ladies, Swallowtails, and Gulf Fritillaries. Visit during mid-summer for peak butterfly activity, especially in the morning hours when they’re most active.

Hummingbirds: Aerial Acrobats

Few wildlife encounters match the thrill of spotting a hummingbird hovering among flowers. These tiny birds, weighing less than a penny, can beat their wings up to 80 times per second and are found exclusively in the Americas. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird dominates the eastern United States, while western gardens might host Anna’s, Rufous, or Calliope Hummingbirds. Public gardens with trumpet-shaped flowers, especially those with red blooms, are hummingbird magnets. The Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon reports regular hummingbird sightings, particularly near their collection of fuchsias and salvias. The Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Fuqua Orchid Center attracts hummingbirds year-round thanks to its tropical climate. For the best viewing opportunities, visit gardens in the early morning or late afternoon when hummingbirds feed most actively.

Turtles and Pond Life

Gardens featuring ponds, lakes, or water features create habitats for a variety of aquatic creatures. Red-eared sliders, painted turtles, and snapping turtles are commonly spotted basking on logs or rocks on sunny days. The Chicago Botanic Garden, with its 60 acres of water gardens and natural shoreline, supports a remarkable diversity of pond life, including native painted turtles and occasionally river otters. Visitors to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Florida might glimpse the endangered Florida red-bellied turtle among its water features. Garden ponds also attract frogs, with species like bullfrogs, green frogs, and spring peepers providing natural sound effects to the garden experience. Arrive during midday during spring and summer months when turtles are most likely to be sunning themselves on exposed rocks or logs.

Songbirds: Garden Melodists

America’s public gardens serve as important habitats for resident and migratory songbirds, with some gardens recording over 200 species throughout the year. Cardinals, chickadees, finches, and warblers are among the most commonly spotted birds, with their songs creating a natural soundtrack for garden visitors. The New York Botanical Garden has documented more than 230 bird species on its grounds, while Wave Hill Public Garden in the Bronx offers regular bird-watching tours to spot everything from Eastern Bluebirds to Baltimore Orioles. Botanical gardens with diverse plantings of native berries, seeds, and fruit-bearing plants attract the greatest variety of songbirds. Spring and fall migrations (April-May and September-October) offer the best bird-watching opportunities, especially during early morning hours when birds are most vocal and active.

Foxes: Elusive Garden Residents

While less commonly seen than birds or butterflies, foxes have adapted remarkably well to urban and suburban environments, including many public gardens. Red foxes and gray foxes can occasionally be spotted in larger botanical gardens, especially those adjoining natural areas or woodlands. The National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., with its 446 acres of diverse habitat, has a resident fox population that visitors might glimpse at dawn or dusk. Similarly, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston provides habitat for foxes that are occasionally seen by early morning visitors. These intelligent canids typically avoid humans but may become habituated to garden settings where they’re protected from hunting. Dawn and dusk offer the best chances for spotting these naturally shy creatures as they hunt for mice, voles, and other small prey.

Squirrels and Chipmunks: Garden Acrobats

Squirrels and chipmunks are among the most commonly observed mammals in public gardens across America, entertaining visitors with their acrobatic antics and food-gathering behaviors. Eastern gray squirrels dominate most gardens east of the Mississippi, while western gardens might host fox squirrels or Douglas squirrels. The Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia features an abundance of these charismatic rodents, particularly in oak and hickory-rich areas. Gardens with large, mature trees typically support the highest populations of tree squirrels, while rock gardens and woodland edges attract chipmunks. These small mammals play important ecological roles as seed dispersers, with some species capable of planting thousands of trees over their lifetimes as they bury and forget their stored nuts. Squirrels and chipmunks remain active year-round and can be spotted during daylight hours in virtually any season.

Rabbits: Garden Grazers

Eastern cottontail rabbits and their western counterparts are frequent inhabitants of public gardens, especially those with meadows, shrubby borders, or naturalistic plantings. Despite gardeners sometimes considering them pests, rabbits add charm to the landscape and serve as important prey for larger predators. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a well-established rabbit population that delights visitors, particularly in early morning and evening hours when they’re most active. Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix offers the chance to see desert cottontails and sometimes jackrabbits adapted to arid conditions. These mammals are most commonly spotted around dawn and dusk when they emerge to feed on clover, grasses, and herbaceous plants. Spring is an excellent time to observe rabbits, as young kits begin exploring garden areas under the watchful eyes of their mothers.

Dragonflies and Damselflies: Aerial Predators

Gardens with water features host some of nature’s most ancient aerial predators: dragonflies and damselflies. With fossil records dating back 300 million years, these insects are not only beautiful with their iridescent bodies and transparent wings but also voracious predators of mosquitoes and other small insects. More than 450 species occur in North America, with the greatest diversity found in the southeastern United States. Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, D.C. are renowned for their dragonfly populations, including common species like the Blue Dasher, Eastern Pondhawk, and Widow Skimmer. These insects are most active on warm, sunny days from late spring through early fall. Visitors can often spot them patrolling territories around ponds, perching on vegetation, or engaging in their dramatic aerial mating displays.

Deer: Graceful Garden Giants

White-tailed deer have adapted remarkably well to human-modified landscapes, including many larger public gardens and arboreta, particularly those adjacent to woodland areas. While deer browsing can sometimes damage garden plantings, these graceful mammals add a touch of wilderness to the garden experience. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, with its 1,200+ acres, supports a healthy deer population that visitors frequently encounter, especially in early morning or evening hours. Similarly, the Morton Arboretum near Chicago provides habitat for white-tailed deer that can be observed from its extensive trail system. Gardens in western states might host mule deer or black-tailed deer instead. Winter offers excellent deer-watching opportunities when leafless trees provide better visibility and deer are more active during daylight hours, particularly after fresh snowfall when their tracks are easily followed.

Bees and Pollinators: Garden Workhorses

No discussion of garden wildlife would be complete without mentioning bees and other pollinating insects that form the backbone of garden ecosystems. North America is home to approximately 4,000 native bee species, from tiny sweat bees to large carpenter bees and bumblebees. These essential creatures pollinate approximately 80% of flowering plants, including many fruits and vegetables humans rely upon. Public gardens increasingly incorporate pollinator meadows and dedicated bee gardens to support these critical insects. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas maintains extensive native plantings that attract diverse pollinators, while the USDA Agricultural Research Service maintains specialized pollinator gardens at the U.S. National Arboretum. Many botanical gardens now offer guided “pollinator walks” during peak flowering periods from late spring through early fall, when visitors can observe and learn about these fascinating creatures.

Owls: Silent Garden Sentinels

While more challenging to spot than daytime wildlife, owls are permanent residents in many public gardens across America. These nocturnal hunters help control rodent populations and add mystique to the garden environment. Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls, and Screech Owls are among the most commonly encountered species in garden settings. The Denver Botanic Gardens hosts several owl species that nest within its grounds, while the San Francisco Botanical Garden is known for its resident Great Horned Owls that have successfully raised multiple generations of offspring. Dedicated owl walks or evening garden tours offered by many botanical gardens provide opportunities to spot these elusive birds. Visitors should look for whitewash (droppings) and pellets beneath large conifers or dense deciduous trees where owls might roost during daylight hours. Winter months, when trees are bare, offer the best viewing opportunities for these magnificent birds.

Reptiles and Amphibians: Cold-Blooded Garden Residents

Gardens with diverse microhabitats support a surprising variety of reptiles and amphibians that fascinate visitors of all ages. Eastern garter snakes, green anoles, American toads, and various salamander species can be found in gardens across different regions of the country. The San Antonio Botanical Garden, situated in a warm climate, boasts an impressive diversity of lizards including the Texas spiny lizard and Mediterranean gecko. In northern gardens, visitors might encounter American toads, spring peepers, or red-backed salamanders in moist, woodland settings. The best time to spot reptiles is during warm, sunny days when they emerge to bask, while amphibians are more frequently seen during or after rainfall, especially in spring when many species congregate at water bodies to breed. Gardens that incorporate brush piles, rock features, and undisturbed leaf litter typically support the greatest diversity of these often-overlooked creatures.

America’s public gardens offer unparalleled opportunities to connect with wildlife in accessible, beautiful settings. These managed landscapes create stepping stones of habitat within urban and suburban environments, supporting biodiversity while providing visitors with meaningful nature experiences. The best wildlife encounters often come unexpectedly—a fox crossing a garden path at dawn, a barred owl calling from an ancient oak, or a monarch butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. By visiting gardens during different seasons and times of day, bringing binoculars, and moving slowly and quietly through the landscape, visitors maximize their chances of memorable wildlife sightings. Many public gardens now offer specialized wildlife tours, citizen science monitoring programs, and educational resources to enhance appreciation of the animals that call these special places home. In our increasingly urbanized world, these garden wildlife encounters provide essential connections to the natural world that sustain both ecological and human wellbeing.