Published on December 5, 2024
The best way to fight the winter blues is to stay active — and a snowy walk at the Brick Works is one of our favourite ways to enjoy the space.
Think there’s nothing to see when the temperature drops? Not so fast.
Us plant-lovers rejoice when new life — shoots and buds — pop up in the spring. But even when there’s a thick blanket of snow stretched across the landscape, we can still spot the plants whose roots dig deep in and around Evergreen Brick Works.
Great public places are designed to thrive all year-round and they connect us to what matters the most — each other, our communities and nature. This winter, step outside and make lasting memories. Can you find and photograph these seven winter plants that stand out against a snow-white backdrop?
Just remember to take only photographs and leave only footprints.
Beloved and iconic, this tree offers so much to look at during the fall with its brilliant red leaves. But if you look closely, you’ll see that the red maple earns its name all year around! Twigs on this maple have a brilliant red colour in their first year of growth and winter is actually a great time to look closely at its buds; these tight little clusters contain the leaves and flowers that will burst into life in the spring — and of course they’re bright red!
Hint: Find these trees where the children play.
One of the best evergreens at Evergreen! If you want to tell the difference between this tree and its conifer friends, remember that Firs are Friendly with Flexible and Flat needles, while Spruce needles are Sharp and Short, and Pines are Plural with needles growing in little bundles. Our beautiful pines have bundles of five needles, a telltale sign of an Eastern White Pine!
Hint: Find the place where trees grow through the roof.
This incredibly tall plant creates a beautiful display through the summer with its cheerful yellow flowers and leaves which cup and hold water for birds and bugs to drink from. However, it also has its appeal in the winter! Cup plant’s dried seed heads are one of nature’s own birdfeeders, and, at the Brick Works, finches feast on these former flowers all throughout the fall and winter.
Hint: Find a cup plant stand making a bold stand in Tiffany Commons.
Hanging on all winter long, Wild Grape can be spotted climbing fences, walls and even around trees! From summer to fall, you’ll spot clusters of grapes and coarsely toothed leaves, making it easier to identify the entire plant. But after the winter wildlife have feasted on the fruit, only the vines and some leftover fruits are visible. Keep your eye out for its climbing vines with tendrils super-thin branches that coil and climb up whatever it’s latching onto!
Hint: Start at Tiffany Commons!
These tall plants are a key fixture in aquatic habitats, most easily recognized by their signature cigar-shaped seed head. In late fall, many of those seed heads burst and leave puffs of white fluff. From its pollen to its roots, animals and people alike have found uses for every part of the Cattail! When the plant is still green, its strong leaves can be woven into durable baskets. But even now, its puffy white seed heads are used by birds to keep their nests cozy in the winter.
Hint: Been to the Quarry?
An almost tree-sized shrub, Staghorn Sumac’s fuzzy red berry clusters persist into winter and hold their deep red colour, making them easy to spot against a snowy backdrop. High in Vitamin C, it is an essential winter food source for wildlife birds, mammals and insects alike. Once you notice Staghorn Sumac, you’ll realize it’s all over the Don Valley!
Hint: Look up!
A plant known for both its beauty and its spunk! Often avoided by hikers for its prickly thorns, Wild Rose is a hardy plant that holds its ground all winter. But did you know so does a lot of its fruit? After Wild Rose’s flowers bloom in the spring, they develop fruit called rose hips which hold on until they’re all eaten up or disturbed. Like Staghorn Sumac, rose hips stay bright red all winter and also happen to be a source of Vitamin C!
Hint: Look near the Children’s Garden!
Other ways to get outside and active this winter
Need even more recommendations for fun ways to get outside and active, even during the snowy season?
Read about our favourite public spaces when the temperatures drop, five urban trails to explore this season or our complete guide for winter cycling.
