As the seasons change, the Gardens can be seen in a whole different light. On brisk late Fall days, you can still hear bustling around the Gardens. We have been diligently preparing for Winter and the workshops that we offer to coincide with the season change. Hands-On Plants workshops are offered to connect people with plants and the Gardens. During the Fall and Winter workshops, attendees create projects including porch pots, wreaths, evergreen gnomes, kissing balls, and centerpieces using natural plant materials as décor.

This year, we added classes to total 10 different sessions with 150 creations made. With the increased class offerings, we had our hands full with gathering materials. We are very fortunate to have volunteers willing to come out late in the season to help out. The work is never done! Even on snowy days, the pruners, loppers, and wagons are brought out from the shed for an adventure. If you have never walked the Gardens when there is snow on the ground, I highly suggest it. You will notice all of the natural beauty and find inner peace as you walk the snow-covered paths. As we collected pine boughs, dogwood stems, fertile fern fronds, and hydrangeas, one of the volunteers stopped and looked up in sheer amazement.  They said, “this is what this garden is all about, you notice all of the beauty and resources this place has to offer during the Winter, and it is just so amazing to see it in this perspective.” Even through the wet boots and frozen fingers, there were smiles across the faces of the volunteers. Moments like these are what the Gardens has been created for.

While teaching the workshops, there is the same buzz in the air under the Potager. Everyone attending the workshops is ready for a relaxing and unique experience. With the fire crackling, the heaters humming, the lights warm, and the steam of a hot drink the participants can’t help but smile looking at the potential options for their projects ahead. As I teach the projects, I teach that nothing is perfect in nature, so create a natural beauty. I want everyone to make something that they are proud of, and I want them to take away knowledge about our natural resources from these workshops. It is so much more than decorating for the holidays. We host these classes to bring people, plants, and the community together with experiences that engage, educate, and inspire. We cannot wait to do the same in the seasons to come.

Written by Horticulture & Grounds Manager, Marissa Ashbeck