Winter, Dormancy

It’s December, and we’ve received comments from students and community members on campus that the garden looks dead. We are having to remind people that the plants are not dead; but instead they are dormant for the season. The appearance of winter dormancy is not appreciated by everyone, but the leaving the plants with their desiccated stems and seedheads is a deliberate choice. Rather than mow them down, the winter plants are still an important habitat for insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals, as well as an opportunity to show passersby this important stage of life in the garden.