2026 WCWO Member WINTER Photo Contest - $100 Prize & cover of our WINTER HOLIDAY card!! by Candace Blank

Ornamented Grass

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

David Toro

Wild Ones

West Cook Member

Voting open to all, not just paid members! Hi photographers, we love all of our supporters, but we do rely on memberships to keep our organization going strong. We try to keep as many activities as possible free and open to the public, but every so often we do need to make sure members have a little something special for them. This contest is for members only to submit their photos. But everyone, nonmembers included, can vote!! Thanks for understanding.

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

Winterberries in Snow from Jill Anderson

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

Pam Karlson:Purple Pitcher Plant "Pop!"

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

The vibrancy of Purple Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea against a fresh January snow brings a welcomed "pop" of color to our Chicago garden. Our water feature allows for adding native water-loving plants and helps support local birds/wildlife throughout the seasons.

Icy touch by mrsclsstreett

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

It is always fun to see the sparkling snow on seed heads. This is a Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) seed head. It was once purple and helped feed late pollinators including monarchs, as winter progresses it will gently fall and reseed itself, meanwhile it supports beautiful snow crystals.

No two alike! from mrsclsstreett

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

The tall late summer/fall blooming Cutleaf Coneflower( Rudbeckia laciniata) seed head collects snow crystals one by one...

Frosted Big Blue Stem from mrsclsstreett

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

Big Blue Stem is a lovely anchor for this corner native bed. The snow put some frosting on the seed heads and flowing grass stems.

Holiday Finest! from mrsclsstreett

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

This corner of my native garden hugs the sidewalk and features aster, rudbeckia, coneflower, and milkweed. There are also educational signs for those passing by. For the holidays it's all tied up with a bow! It is a great place to start a conversation with neighbors about what is happening in my garden and how they too can plant with nature in mind.

Martha Chiplis: "Aromatic Asters with Fence Shadow"

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

photo by Martha Chiplis

Aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) is the last to bloom in our yard, and has spread through the fence so we share the October flowers with our next door neighbor.

Cynthia Klein-Banai "Frosted milkweed in my yard"

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

This is a photo of one of my milkweed plants in my front yard, bursting with seeds and touched with frost from the snow. It is all set to spread its seeds around come spring.

Martha Chiplis: "Leadplant in the snow"

membershipwcwo — 2026-02-03 04:50:10 UTC

photo by Martha Chiplis

This tough leadplant (amorpha canescens) is thriving in a small space next to our backyard fence. It is a beautiful little plant in the summer, and in the winter has held onto its seeds, creating a striking silhouette.

Snow Catcher

membershipwcwo — 2026-03-15 01:16:40 UTC

Looking out my front window after a fluffy snow fell. looks like each of the purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) seed heads is wearing a white top hat.

-Submitted by Bill Burns

Snowy Rudbeckia triloba

membershipwcwo — 2026-03-15 01:20:55 UTC

Rudbeckia triloba pops up in different places every year in my yard. They can be aggressive and prolific, but that burst of yellow in the summer is such a joy. And in the winter, the seed heads provide food for birds and visual interest for us. I love the textures, layers and deep copper color found in seed heads during the winter months.

- Submitted by Beth Rooney