Walking Workshop – The Beauty of Winter in a Naturalistic, Meadow-Style Home Garden

Workshop to be conducted at Goodly Gardens in Worcester, PA.

Many of our members are already familiar with Thom Mrazik and Goodly Gardens. Thom has done virtual presentations for HPS and has given numerous tours of his naturalistic Goodly Gardens, a PHS Blue Ribbon Award-winning home garden, as well as a Penn State Extension-certified pollinator- and watershed-friendly garden.

This year Thom has graciously offered to conduct another tour, or “walking workshop,” so that we can experience his garden as winter approaches. This is an opportunity to see beyond the showy colors of the garden in spring and summer; to appreciate the beauty still present as the garden matures and decays. Thom draws inspiration from the words of Piet Oudolf: “The garden in winter is an emotional experience. You think in terms of decay and disappearing and coming back. You feel the life cycle of nature. You want a moment in the garden to be quiet. A garden should be an experience that changes through the seasons.” Perhaps less philosophically, Oudolf maintains that “A plant is only worth growing if it looks good dead.”

Thom Mrazik was born in New Jersey, the Garden State.  He completed the Barnes Arboretum horticulture program and is a certified Master Gardener.  Thom's gardening articles are published online at FineGardening.com, Penn State Extension.edu and on the Morris Arboretum blog. 

Be sure to check out Thom’s articles in the August and September 2022 issues of Fine Gardening.

This is a members only event and is limited to 15 participants. There is no registration fee, but registration is required.  Instead of a fee, help feed the food insecure/needy by bringing to the garden location a donation of 5-10 lbs. of nonperishable groceries (e.g., canned, dry, and nonperishable goods) which will be donated to Martha's Choice Food Pantry in Norristown.

Rain Date Thursday, December 8th. Click here to register. Registration closes on 12/04/22. Address will be provided in the registration confirmation e-mail.

HPS/MAG COVID-19 PRACTICES AND POLICIES: All HPS/MAG In-Person Events shall be subject to all COVID-related requirements imposed by any state, local and/or federal agency.  Guests and invitees should apprise themselves of any such requirements prior to attendance.  All HPS/MAG In-Person Events shall also be subject to the COVID-related requirements, if any, of the garden host.  All attendees must bring a mask for every In-Person Event, in case it is required. 

Non-vaccinated attendees at events must sign a COVID waiver. Click here for the waiver. Please bring it with you to the event.