Summer, thank you but take a seat. The sweetness of sun puddles and fragrant blooms, of fresh breezes and breathtaking views, aren’t exclusively yours to flaunt. 

Also, you don’t have snowflakes.

We’re not instigating a seasonal skirmish here at the 91����Ƶ, we simply want winter—too often maligned as cold and dreary—to get its due.

Perhaps no one is more agreeable to take on the pro-winter debate than Fred Spicer, the Garden’s executive vice president and director.  And we also asked an Endeavor Health physician for winter health advice on getting outside no matter the season.

Look for willows with barks of gold, yellow, and orange, and ornamental shrub dogwoods with red, maroon, or yellow twigs and bark. Feel cool breezes as refreshing as a cup of coffee. Experience scenic vistas during the day and Lightscape for after-dark enchanting walks.

Exercise strengthens our bodies, can improve cardiovascular health, and can help manage chronic health conditions like Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, Saunders said.

Those living in winter regions may be susceptible to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in fall and winter. Studies have found that a combination of exercise and exposure to sunlight (even on cloudy days) may help relieve SAD symptoms. 

You might enjoy a Winter Solstice Woods Walk, a guided walk (about 1/3 mile) in McDonald Woods on Dec. 17.