Winter brings stillness to the pollinator garden, yet the prairie never truly goes dormant. Dried stems from last season’s plants remain standing through the snow. Many of these hollow stems provide shelter for native bees that overwinter inside them. Leaving stems in the garden through winter helps support pollinators that depend on these natural nesting spaces.
Beneath the soil, prairie plant roots remain alive even during the coldest months. Many prairie plants grow roots eight to fifteen feet deep, allowing them to survive harsh winters and drought conditions. That resilience is one of the things I admire most about prairie ecosystems. Even when the garden looks quiet, life is waiting beneath the surface. Winter in the prairie garden offers time to reflect, observe, and begin imagining the next growing season.
