Our home gardens are often designed for the warm growing season, overlooking the potential of a stunning winter garden with snow-capped seed heads and hints of green. In this on-line workshop, participants learned 20 native plants that are best as a winter highlight in the home garden and tips on supporting nesting wild bees, overwintering butterflies, and songbirds throughout the cold winter months.

Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co., is a community collaborator working to rebuild ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences in South Central PA.

She is certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and Ecological/Permaculture Designer, along with earning an Ecological Gardening Certification from Mt. Cuba Center. She has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, 7-12 Biology Teaching Certification, and participated in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology program. Elyse works alongside homeowners in a participatory approach to their gardening for wildlife needs, infusing educational opportunities during the design, installation, and management process. She invites homeowners to deeply engage with their land to maximize its potential in enhancing human well-being and supporting dwindling wildlife populations.