With These Activities, Gardening Need Not Take a Holiday

· Dec. 6: Wreaths With Individuality. Make your own. Supplies included. Bring special decorations, pruners and wire cutters. 2-4 p.m. $48. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, 703-642-5173, http://www.greenspring.org.

· Dec. 7: Park cleanup. Join fellow volunteers to help with cleaning trash and removing invasive plants in Lacey Woods Park in Arlington. 1-3 p.m. More info and volunteer, call 703-228-6406.

· Dec. 7: Holiday crafts workshop. Make your own wreath or centerpiece from local greens, pine cones and other natural materials. 1 p.m. $10. Reservations required. Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 North Marcey Rd., Arlington, 703-528-5406.

· Dec. 11: Invasive weed control. Work with the Nature Conservancy to control invasive plant species on National Park Service lands in the Potomac Gorge at Turkey Run Park. Wear work gloves and sturdy shoes; bring water, snacks and pruning tools. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call Alan Ford at 703-732-5291 for meeting time and location.

· Jan. 10, 17, 24: Landscape Design Series for Homeowners. This series helps you design a garden, develop its framework and produce a plan, using site analysis, style notebooks and drawing skills. It includes individual attention during afternoon workshops. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Bring lunch. $160 includes lectures and workshops, or $15 per lecture. Green Spring.

· Jan. 16: The How-To's of Herb Gardening. Herbs add fragrance and flavor to our lives, and practical beauty to landscapes. This basic herb overview teaches how to choose, plan, prepare a site and care for it. The master gardeners recommend herbs for beginners. 1:30-2:30 p.m. $12. Green Spring.

· Jan. 17: Hardscaping. A garden isn't just plants but also walkways, walls and other elements that create a pleasant space for entertaining and enjoyment. 9:30-11 a.m. $15. Green Spring.

· Jan. 18: History and Horticulture at Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Dean Norton, horticulturalist for Mount Vernon, discusses Mount Vernon estate and the horticultural impact of its success and failures. 1:30-3 p.m. $10. Green Spring.

· Jan. 24: Soil Preparation and Plant Selection. Soil preparation is critical to the overall design. Plant selection and installation will be discussed. 9:30-11 a.m. $15. Green Spring.

· Jan. 30: Basic Pruning. Overgrown shrubs are unsightly and can be hazardous, blocking views and providing hiding places for unwanted visitors. Flowering shrubs need to be pruned regularly. Learn how, when and where to prune to create healthy, shapely shrubs. 1:30-2:30 p.m. $12. Green Spring.

· Jan. 31: Winter botany. The winter forest may appear bleak, but to careful observers it holds many discoveries. Join Stanwyn Shetler, curator of botany emeritus at the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, for an exploration of Great Falls Park, Va. Join discussions of winter ecology of plant communities, identification of evergreen trees and shrubs, and wildlife uses of plants in winter. Inclement weather date, Feb. 7. 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. Registration required. Audubon Naturalist Society.

Joel M. Lerner is president of Environmental Design in Capitol View Park, Md. E-mail or contact him through his Web site, http://www.gardenlerner.com.