This story is written in collaboration by Susan Maggard, Marketing Manager, and Jason Neumann, Public Programs Manager. An excerpt of this article is also featured in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Newsleaf Magazine and the July 22, 2026, e-newsletter, Now in Nature.
Color and creativity bloom with Metal-morphosis, planted last summer in our Witt Pollinator Garden.
Fashioned from discarded tools from the Krippendorf Lodge and Groesbeck Estate, artist Jordan Graff of Iron Belle Metal Design artfully crafted oversized steel sculptures that rise above native plants, reimagined as giant flowers, insects, and garden creatures.
In Jordan’s words, “I was inspired by the natural beauty that can happen in the wildness of the Pollinator Garden. The main sculpture serves as the 'cherry on top,' anchoring this cool natural mound.” Made of Corten steel (a high-performance specialty steel), a protective surface coating of rust forms on the sculpture that inhibits further rusting. "Steel is a medium that starts off dead, lifeless, and cold," Jordan explains. "By applying heat and an artistic eye, it comes to life. With a deep understanding of what the material can and can’t do, coupled with intuition, the influence of Nature can be expressed in endless combinations."
While playful at first glance, the installation highlights the importance of pollinators by drawing attention to their shapes and roles in an unexpected way. The contrast between living plants and recycled art sparks curiosity—and conversation—about sustainability, habitat, and how human creativity can support conservation.
Considered “scrap sculpture,” the satellite mini-sculptures hidden throughout were inspired by the origin story of Witt Pollinator Garden. The mound of once discarded dirt from the construction of the adjacent Nature PlayScape is now a thriving native plant garden today, buzzing with life and biodiversity, just as each unique sculpture echoes—no two are the same. Re-use of the old, discarded tools echoes this same “new purpose” ethic with an homage to the families that set the stage for Cincinnati Nature Center. Jordan says, “I looked at the material as an animal, or I found the animal in the material… for some creatures, both approaches were applied.”
Name suggestions for this sculptural series were submitted by our social media audience and members. Nature Center staff then voted on the suggested names. Metal-morphosis was chosen as the winning submission.
Stop by Witt Pollinator Garden, located on the Mashburn Discovery Trail, on your next visit to Rowe Woods. Look carefully and count the number of metal sculptures you can locate throughout!
