Spring has sprung! Let’s get out in the garden
By: Sheila Henline, OverDrive Collection Development Analyst.
I eagerly await the last frost of the spring season, the budding of the trees, the blossoming of the dandelions and the spring peepers (frogs) to start chirping. This year I added some ‘peeps’ (baby chickens) to herald the arrival of spring. Along with these signs of spring, I start planning my garden.
My decision about planting is what service I want my garden to perform. Do I want a vegetable garden? I do so like to add fresh veggies to my meals. Or would I like a flower garden? Tough decision here, as I like fresh cut flowers for my home and flowers also service our pollinators like butterflies and honeybees. I also enjoy whimsy and may decorate my patio with a container fairy garden. I don’t want the wee folk to be overlooked.
There are so many wonderful gardens to try. There are informative books about the straw bale gardens and wooden pallet gardens (for vertical gardening) and how to create a fairy garden, an herb box and a raised bed vegetable garden. Books are also available on how to plant pollinator gardens to help our honeybees and butterflies and how to practice companion planting (plants that grow best together for a bigger harvest). Urban gardeners can read books about rooftop gardening as well as container gardening.
There is something special about grabbing a tomato from the garden for a meal, an herb to season a favorite dish and flowers for the table. Whatever your version or purpose of a garden may be, it is always fun to look at books that discuss unique garden plans, planting methods and recipes. Dig in!
Here are some great lists of gardening books to add to your collection no matter what your users are looking for: