This winter would be the second to the last for Eloise Butler to teach in the Minneapolis School System. While Miss Butler was busy with her full time job her precious Garden rested under a blanket of snow. 1909 ended with over 10 inches of snow depth and with frequent snowfalls in January and February, interspersed with hard cold snaps in early January and late February, the snow cover averaged around 14 to over 16 inches until an above average warm spell occurred at the beginning of March. This warm spell was to last until mid-April, during which time there was little precipitation.

During the school year Eloise contributed an article to School Science and Mathematics, Vol. 10, 1910, in which she advocated for The Wild Botanic Garden, as she and her fellow Botany teachers termed the Garden. She would write:
"A paramount idea is to perpetuate in the garden its primeval wildness. All artificial appearances are avoided and plants are to be allowed to grow as they will and without any check except what may be necessary for healthful living. . . Each plant when procured, is to be given an environment as similar as possible to that from which it came, and then left to take care of itself.” She also wrote in that article of her rule to include only plants native to the state or naturalized in Minnesota - a rule she would ignore when certain specimens became available.

Eloise would continue to advocate for the Wild Botanic Garden throughout 1910. Later in the year she delivered a paper at the meeting of the Minnesota Academy of Science and also had an exhibit about the Garden at the Minnesota State Fair. A photo of the exhibit is in Martha Hellander’s book The Wild Gardener.

In the Winter of 1959-60 there was light precipitation after the first week of November, 1959 and in December the temperatures were well above normal, seldom below 20 degrees and very little precipitation. There was no snow cover at the end of the year. Not a good omen for the next years plant growth and for winter protection. After the new year temperatures continued well above the average range, there were few snowfalls and snow depth was minimal for most of the winter. Martha Crone wrote “But by February the snow drifts that were so exquisite are earth stained and weather worn.” This would lead to plant loss in the spring.

Martha Crone wrote in the winter issue of The Fringed Gentian™ that “A wild flower garden is always a pride and pleasure and the finest heritage that can be passed on to the next generation.” The annual meeting of The Friends was held on Jan. 5th, at the home of President Dorothy Binder. Mrs. Binder was a founding member of The Friends and first became president in 1958 upon the death of Clinton Odell, Friends founder and first president. She was reelected President; Leonard F. Ramberg (another founding member) was elected Vice-President and Martha Crone was reelected Secretary/Treasurer and she continued as editor of The Fringed Gentian™.

In winter of 1984-85, temperatures fluctuated above and below the average range toward the end of 1984 and precipitation decreased with virtually none in November and very little snow in December leaving only a 2” snow depth going into 1985. Early 1985 was entirely different. Snowfalls occurred regularly in January and February providing adequate snow depth for the plants until the end of February. Late January and the first half of February had a majority of the days with temperatures well below average with a minus 29 on Jan. 29th. This changed in the last half of February with most days being above average with a hugh 12” snowfall occurring after the 1st of March.

In late 1984 (December 4) four members of The Friends (President Pat Thomesen, Natalie Adler, Betty Bridgman and Betty Bryan) met with Park Board staff to air concerns of The Friends for the future care and development of the Wildflower Garden. This would be a subject that would occupy future Board Members also. The consensus of the group was that their ideas were listened to. In preparation for the Annual Meeting to be held on May 18, Board member and Garden Curator Ken Avery agreed to chair the Friends Nominating Committee.

Following the dry late Autumn of 1999, snow began to arrive in December followed by several significant snowfalls in January 2000 including one of 8-1/2 inches. This allowed the snow cover for the garden plants, which was only about two inches at the end of 1999 to accumulate such that snow depth in January and February averaged between 6 and 9 inches. This was good for the plants. A significant warm spurt began at the end of February such that the snow rapidly melted and temperatures were well above average for March.

In The Fringed Gentian™ Friends' President Steve Pundt wrote about volunteer activities that would be starting in the Spring in the Wirth Park area that would be of benefit to the Garden. MaryLynn Pulscher, Environmental Education Director for the Park Board, wrote about some of the treasures that had been removed from the Martha Crone Shelter attic storage area. Principally books and photographs, these materials were deteriorating in the unheated attic and needed to be removed for conservation and then better storage at the Park Board Operations Center. An examination of the documents was made by a professional from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Some of the books were pre-1900 in date and there were periodicals of a botanical nature from the early 1900s. Several of these treasures were to be displayed in the Shelter during the upcoming spring and summer. Gardener Cary George wrote an article discussing the nine “Heritage Trees” that were located in the Garden. These included Mountain Maple, Black Walnut, Jack Pine, Ponderosa Pine, American Wild Plum, Black Cherry, White Oak, Siberian Crabapple, Canadian Hemlock.

At the January Board Meeting of the Friends, held at Golden Valley City Hall, Jeff Lee, Manager of Environmental Operations for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, discussed the Greenway Grant for Vegetation Management that the Park Board had received from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This grant was to be used to carry out a comprehensive survey of the plant community in Wirth Park, including the Garden. This census would be used to develop long range management strategy for the park.

A report was received from Renner & Sons who had re-drilled the well at the Great Medicine Spring the previous year (see History - Winter 1958/59) They addressed the reduction in flow from the spring. During the winter the well had been allowed to flow freely to prevent freezing and now a hand pump was discussed as the practical option to install, which was eventually installed.

It was voted to purchase a spotting scope for the Martha Crone Shelter and to investigate the cost of purchase five sets of binoculars. During the fall and winter the Park Board replaced the three benches on the path from the front gate down to the Shelter. The Friends membership list contained seven life members at this time.

The Garden was scheduled to re-open on April 1st.