The photograph is a collage of the six books in the blog post: Garden Day!, Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, The Hidden Rainbow, On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring, Spectacular Spring, and Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More. All are against a background of a blue cloudy sky with tall green grasses and pink and white flowers with yellow centers.

A Season of Spectacular Beginnings

March 24, 2023Admin Leave a comment

Spring Picks for Little Kids

By Sylvia H.

Though it is difficult to know if we’ve had our complete winter experience, signs of spring are beginning all around. If you’re ready to welcome spring, here is a selection of books for young children to get you started. As always, if you’re interested in more recommendations, visit your local branch. We will be happy to help!

Spectacular Spring: All Kinds of Spring Facts and Fun by Bruce Goldstone

“Spring is a season of spectacular beginnings.” In the book, Spectacular Spring by Bruce Gladstone, readers are introduced to facts about the season of spring, including answers to questions like, “How do umbrellas work?” and “How do baby birds hatch?” Following a preview to “Super Summer,” the book ends with instructions for six spring-themed activities, including seed jars, dirt for dessert, and mud painting. Striking photos with bright and bold text make this nonfiction book a great selection for elementary-aged children.

Garden Day! by Candice Ransom

Join the brother and sister duo from Apple Picking Day! and Pumpkin Day! as they prepare their garden for spring along with their parents. From gathering tools to watering their plants, the family works together, having fun along the way. With large print, colorful illustrations, and simple, rhyming text, Garden Day! by Candice Ransom is a great choice for emerging readers.

The Hidden Rainbow by Christie Matheson

Winter is melting away, and one little bee is ready to eat! In Christie Matheson’s adorable story, The Hidden Rainbow, the reader is invited to help the little bee find the colors of the rainbow hidden throughout the garden. Tickle tulip leaves, blow flower buds, and more, as this interactive picture book combines the concepts of colors, counting, and simple lessons about bees and flowers. Preschool readers can enjoy the watercolor illustrations, and everyone will learn something about the importance of bees and pollination.

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming

It’s the most anticipated battle of the spring: Mr. McGreely versus three hungry bunnies! Mr. McGreely prepares the garden of his dreams, filled with lettuce, carrots, peas, and tomatoes. He is not, however, prepared for the obstacles he will face trying to protect his garden from the sneaky bunnies enjoying the yummy veggies. Determined to make his garden bunny proof, Mr. McGreely works to make his garden bigger and better. Will it be enough to stop those “pesky puff-tails”? Readers can enjoy cheering for the bunnies or Mr. McGreely in this silly and enjoyable story.

On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring by Buffy Silverman

How do we know when spring is on its way? In this book, readers are introduced to some of the various signs of spring, from the drifting of ice and drooping of snowmen to the warming of flowers and singing of blackbirds. The back of the book provides informative descriptions about the subjects mentioned in the book, great for discussing with preschool and early elementary-aged children. With astounding photography and simple, rhyming text, young readers will enjoy learning how to search the world around them for signs of spring.

Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More! Poems for Two Voices by Carole Gerber

What can be better than learning about the wonders of springtime? Learning about the wonders of springtime through interactive poetry! The poems in this book are made to be read aloud by two voices, delineated through spacing on the page and colors of the text. Readers are introduced to a variety of information about the plant and insect worlds, including seed germination and pollination, in an enjoyable format with bright, beautiful illustrations.

Sylvia is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at the Miller Branch. She enjoys crafting, listening to audiobooks, naps, and walks with her dogs in 75 degree-ish weather.

Eric stands on the bottom rung of a ladder, while Kelly holds a garden rake, with a stone wall behind them. A wheelbarrow full of greenery, a box of daffodils, and other gardening implements rest in front.

Spring at the DIY Center

March 6, 2023Admin Leave a comment

by Kelly M.

Does springtime make you dream of gardening? Whether you’re new to gardening or expanding a well-tended garden patch, your library can help you get your green thumb going.

Start with one of our many books on garden planning to get ideas on layout, environmentally-friendly growing techniques, and tips and tricks to help. Find inspiration at the Enchanted Garden at HCLS Miller Branch. Get advice on your plans in-person by attending one of our classes, where Howard County Master Gardeners share their knowledge and experience.

Then begin to prepare your space for planting. Healthy soil is the foundation of a good garden! Avoid tilling the ground, which breaks up valuable soil structure, by building a raised bed. Raised beds sit on top of the ground, with sidewalls built out of a range of materials such as wood board, hay bales, logs, and more. The bed is then filled with nutritious soil and compost to help your plants grow strong. If you have an in-ground garden bed already, it’s a good idea to get your soil tested to see what nutrients it may need. The DIY Center at HCLS Elkridge Branch has your tool needs covered, with saws, drills, shovels, and wheelbarrows available to borrow for free.

If you have limited space for growing, you can try growing flowers and vegetables in containers that can fit on a deck or balcony. Container gardening not only uses space efficiently, it also allows you to move your plants to catch the most sunlight in the spring and fall while avoiding too much sun in the summer. The raised height means you can garden without bending and kneeling, and gives protection from rabbits and groundhogs. Take a hands-on class on how to build a raised bed or container garden like salad table at the DIY Center, and then borrow the tools for free that you’ll need to construct one at home.

Now you’ll be ready to buy all the beautiful flowers or vegetable plants at your local gardening center! All these classes take place at HCLS Elkridge Branch.

Getting your Garden Ready for Spring
For adults. Register here.
Learn about sustainable gardening with Master Gardeners. Discover tips on spring-time gardening tasks for a range of garden types, including vegetable, perennial, and native plants.
Sat, Mar 11
11 am – 12 pm

Learn to Build a Salad Table
For adults. Register at bit.ly/3ZTyZBB
Let’s chat about what a salad table is and why you should build one. As a group, we move from plan to table during the demonstration.
Sat, Mar 18
11 am – 12:30 pm

Earth Day: How to Build a Planter
For adults. Register at bit.ly/3jgRhfL
Make a stylish patio planter for Earth Day. We introduce materials, building techniques, and the proper use of all the tools you need to complete the project and bring some nature into your space.
Sat, Apr 22
11 am – 12:30 pm

Earth Day: How to Build a Bamboo Trellis
For adults. Register at bit.ly/3DwR8eO
Trellises can give plants the space to grow in a garden, and bamboo is an ideal, renewable material. Learn the techniques for building a trellis with bamboo poles and lashing twine.
Sat, Apr 22
1 – 2 pm

Kelly is a DIY Instructor & Research Specialist at the Elkridge Branch. She likes to get her hands in the dirt, try new craft projects, and see how many books she can read at one time.

A deep red cover is illustrated in beige with twining roses, full of blooms and thorns. The title works into the top and the author's name at the bottom.

Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit

February 27, 2023Kristen B. Leave a comment

One of the pleasures of reading Orwell’s Roses is its unexpected turns from one subject to the next. – NPR

by Kristen B.

Do you enjoy tangential conversations? Where you’re not sure how you discussed so many things in one sitting? Have I got a book for you! Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit contains loosely connected essays that meander through several subjects. She recounts her global travels and wide-ranging interests, examining them all through the lens of George Orwell and his love of green and growing things. Every section starts with a variation of the sentence, “In 1936, a writer planted roses.”

Of course, the writer in question is Orwell himself, who planted a garden that contained roses at the rural cottage where he and his wife were living. The biographical bits about him include his family’s privileged background, its more recent impoverished status, his early life in India and Burma, and his latter life retreat to the remote, Scottish island of Jura. His dedication to socialist causes led him to volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, fighting against Franco. His was seriously injured, and the entire experience informed much of his early writing. Orwell suffered his entire life from weak lungs, complicated by his time in both sub-tropical countries and a period spent destitute in Spain. He eventually died of tuberculosis at the age of 46. He left a legacy of prescient writing, decrying the evils of totalitarianism, but he considered his gardens and roses equally important, as revealed in some of his journalism.

Solnit’s chapters move among these facts, linking them with socialism, coal mining, art in Mexico, Soviet politics, and the rose-growing industry in modern Colombia. She actually travels to Bogota and finagles a rare tour of a flower factory. Another chapter discusses British portraitist Joshua Reynolds and Orwell’s family pedigree, which connects to anti-colonial discourse about the Empire’s reliance on Caribbean sugar and its slave economy. Which, in turn, returns her to the notion of “genteel nature,” where the wealthy and titled classes had their fashions evolve from structured, manicured gardens to more relaxed, wild cottage gardens. At the same time, she considers how the ancient custom of holding land in common disappeared with the advent of enclosure laws and how that affected lower classes. This, in turn, returns her thoughts to Orwell and his roses.

The entire book reads in this sort of overlapping, interleaved, circular fashion: much, I suppose, in the manner of rose petals. It’s all interesting, and I enjoyed the interwoven ideas. But it does seem a little disjointed at times. While Orwell and roses act as the connective threads, the book serves more as a social and historical review of certain strains of thought. I am not a regular reader of nonfiction. The ever-changing discussion worked in my favor, as there was always something new just a few pages away. It also inspired me to put both Orwell and Solnit on my future reading lists.

Orwell’s Roses is available from HCLS in book format and also as an e-book and e-audiobook from Libby/OverDrive.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball in season (but not all at the same time).

Close up of lily of the valley flowers, white bells, green stems and a dark background.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

March 4, 2022Kristen B. 1 Comment

by Ann H.

With the Library’s help, of course! The Enchanted Garden celebrates its 10th season this coming spring, during which the garden and the gardeners have grown! We’ve had challenges to learn from and victories to savor. Together they position us well for our best season yet.

While the garden rests under a blanket of snow, this gardener dreams! Spring conjures up visions of colorful blooms, warm sunshine, plentiful rain, and rich soil. New garden catalogs, books, and now webinars spark grand ideas and plans. I am eager to get my hands in the soil and nurture all the plants and wildlife (not bunnies!) that create our abundant garden.

Visitors to the Enchanted Garden can expect to be wowed by the tried and true as well as something new.

Here’s what you can look forward to:
• An expanded Edible Landscape that combines flowers, herbs, and vegetables lovely enough for your front yard.

• A traditional Native American garden named The Three Sisters featuring corn, beans, and squash.

• Companion planting pairings to help plants get the nutrients they need, fend off pests, attract pollinators, and contribute to a healthy ecosystem.

• Container gardens showcasing vegetables, herbs, and flowers for small spaces.

• 500 pounds (fingers crossed!) of food raised for the Howard County Food Bank.

• A healthy environment that provides for people and pollinators without the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides.

Ambitious plans require many helping hands. We look forward to the return of volunteers, teens, tweens, and children to our Enchanted Garden. Stay tuned for classes and events to be offered all season long!

Ann is a Master Gardener and the Enchanted Garden Coordinator at the HCLS Miller Branch, where she has worked for many years. You can find her smiling in the garden and sharing her passion for plants, nature, and our community.

The photograph shows DIY INstructor Eric seated in a red adirondack chair, with outdoor tools, a hammock, and a kids' swimming pool in the background, and his dog at his side with his feet up on a white DIY planter box he constructed.

Flowers and Planters are Great

May 24, 2021ericlblair Leave a comment

By Eric L.

I used to be young and naïve and I didn’t appreciate flowers, or maybe didn’t realize I appreciated them. Deep down, I was probably always the sort of person that would admire beauty around. That said, I’d implore you to get some flowers, plants, vegetation in your life.

After renovating two entire houses I have come to appreciate the beauty of living space, indoor and outdoor. How one’s surroundings engender certain feelings. My surroundings make me feel comfortable and then calm. I recall the first place that my significant other and I shared, and changed. I felt more comfortable there than I had before.

I’ll be honest, I used to think that flowers, gardens, and more generally my surroundings at home were sort of a bourgeois waste of time. Why would I spend work attending to these sorts of things, when I could read, hang out with friends, chat, drink at bars, or so many other exciting things? However, my mind has changed with innumerable carpentry projects accomplished, many, many holes dug, trees planted, landscape projects complete, planters made, and a stacked stone wall, literally built from two tons of rough stone (my least favorite project, ever).

Having trees, flowers, and plants around does indeed make me calm. (There is science to support this). So let’s take it even further: imagine if you’ve selected the plants, then planted them yourself, and watched them grow and or blossom. How about even further: what if you’d made the planter, planter box, or raised bed that holds your plants? While it may not change your life, I think you may feel happy and proud. I do, so why not try it?

Building planters, window boxes, and raised garden beds are all relatively easy DIY carpentry projects. I’ve done these all with groups in person at the HCLS Elkridge Branch DIY Education Center. I don’t mean to oversimplify this, but you’re essentially making a box, one that you spruce up however you like. For example, add some architectural detail, paint it, hand-paint a design, stain it, make it rustic, use pallet lumber. There are myriad possibilities! It is a great way to practice and learn all sorts of carpentry skills. This endeavor is made even easier because you can borrow everything you need from HCLS.

Please watch the video, and try it out. And it looks as though we’ll be able to do this in person soon at the Elkridge branch!

There are two men, radical in many respects, and I’m a fan of both, who would receive flowers from fans. I can’t say I thought it was odd, but realize that some may consider it “feminine” for a man to receive flowers. It seems strange that flowers are associated with gender at all; they’re beautiful, please bring them to me!

Eric is a DIY Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Elkridge Branch. He enjoys reading, films, music, doing nearly anything outside, and people.

The cover depicts a garden of flowers, vines, and strawberries in bright primary and secondary colors, with birds, a butterfly, a frog, a ladybug, and a bee enjoying the vegetation.

Spring is for Gardening

April 21, 2021juliefitzreader Leave a comment

By Laci R.

Spring is here once again – and you know what that means? It’s the perfect time to share these wonderful gardening books with the children in your life. Gardening is a passion of mine for many reasons. It’s become a reliable place of peace and comfort, I get to see a variety of pollinator friends, and I have a permanent seat in a never-ending classroom. I like to encourage others not only to find a way to connect to nature but to look into all the methods and styles of gardening. My garden started with two or three potted plants. Over the past couple of years, my container deck garden has transformed into a whimsical fairytale oasis.

The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen
This story reminds us that our imagination can bring just as much wonder into our lives as anything we experience in the physical world. Join this adorable grandfather and granddaughter as they bring life into the most beautiful imaginary garden. As they paint- brick walls are built for vining plants to climb, crocuses are popping up as the first sight of Spring, and a robin eats a worm for lunch. Later, the granddaughter is left to care for the garden while her grandfather is away on vacation, and she’s determined to make him proud. Imaginary or not, gardens require hard work and a whole lot of love.

Pair With: My Garden by Kevin Henkes (also available as an audiobook on CD)
This book reminds me of Alice in Wonderland as she sits amongst the flowers and describes her perfect world. While the flowers in this book won’t talk with you for hours, they do change colors just by thinking about it. Join an imaginative little girl as she tells you all about her dream garden – including a jellybean bush, invisible carrots, and glowing lantern strawberries.

A Peaceful Garden by Lucy London
Join these two feline friends as they prepare, plant, and tend to their peaceful garden. This book is a great introduction to the joys of gardening through a simple yet sweet story that walks you through what the process might look like to get ready for your own garden. Throughout, you’ll see garden dwellers making an appearance, some that a lot of people try to deter from their space. This peaceful garden is all about making sure everyone knows they’re welcome and cared for. What will you grow in your peaceful garden?

The cover depicts a rooftop garden with a diverse group of people working to plant in the soil. The cityscape is in the background against a sky of oranges and yellows.

Thank You, Garden by Liz Scanlon
The illustrations show a diverse community of children and neighbors working together on a city garden. Through rhyme, you learn about what goes into making a garden so lovely – including the times that call for being silly and playing in water from the hose. This book does a great job of showing the rewards of hard work. While the text isn’t abundant in this story, the artwork tells you more than words ever could.

Pair with: Fox’s Garden by Princesse Camcam
This wordless picture book utilizes mixed media in a dreamy way that will certainly spark a fulfilling discussion. It’s Winter, and Fox is looking for a safe and cozy place to have her pups after being chased out of a village. She comes across a greenhouse and nestles in. Soon, Fox and her pups are greeted by a young boy who gently places a basket of food on the ground before leaving them be. Fox and her pups repay the favor with a beautiful “thank you” waiting to be found in the boy’s bedroom when he wakes the next morning.

The cover depicts a boy and a black cat in a dense garden of flowers and tropical plants, in shades of blue, green, yellow, and mauve.

Tokyo Digs a Garden by Jon-Erik Lappano
Tokyo lives in a small house between giant buildings. Skyscrapers and highways hold the space where hills and trees used to be. Tokyo is determined to help his grandfather have a garden despite the city “eating up the land” years ago. He meets an old woman who gifts him three beans that will become whatever is imagined of them during planting time. What happens next is a beautiful and fast-paced adventure showing how nature behaves in a city. Animals replace cars on the roads and streets become rivers. Will city life and wildlife be able to co-exist? This book is a thoughtful portrait of environmentalism and imagination. At first, this story might seem familiar – beans that you can wish on. I promise you’re in for a treat with this modern story that feels classic.

Florette by Anna Walker
Mae moves to a new home in the city and is forced to leave her beloved garden behind. Once there, Mae starts to realize just how empty this new house feels without a garden to play in and butterflies to chase. She tries to recreate the wonder by drawing and painting flowers on the stacks of boxes filling every room. Realizing she has to search a bit further, Mae sets out on an adventure and finds a lush green botanical shop… but it’s closed. She waits, but the door never opens. In the distance, there’s a small green sprout in a crack between the building and sidewalk where Mae rescues her very own piece of the forest. Is there room for a garden in the city, after all?

Gardening for Beginners by Emily Bone
Learning any new skill can be intimidating at first. This book is an excellent resource for any age and especially perfect for developing a new skill alongside the children in your life. I learned a great deal from this book when I first started gardening and was overwhelmed by information. This book has an easy-to-follow page design, and there is also a breakdown of how to interpret each section of the page in the beginning of the book. The visual appeal of this book makes the information more digestible and easier to retain.

Pair with: Flowers by Gail Gibbons
Gail Gibbons is a favorite for a reason. This book is no exception for anyone interested in learning about flowers. It covers the basics of flower parts, growth, seed travel, pollination, and the various ways flowers are categorized.

I hope this assortment of gardening books brings some green, inspiration, and curiosity into your home. Gardening is for everyone and doesn’t have one look or motivating factor. I challenge you to grow something this year – whether it’s your family’s favorite tomato or melon, flowers for our pollinator friends, or your imagination.

Laci is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS. They love a wide variety of music, spending time in the garden, Halloween, cats, and crafting. Their “to read” list is always full of graphic novels and picture books.

The photograph depicts two hands in the sunlight holding two small seed potatoes with eyes on them.

Let’s Grow Potatoes!

April 14, 2021juliefitzreader Leave a comment

By Ann H.

Three cheers for the arrival of spring! I am ready to embrace a new season full of hope and fresh, local vegetables. Cool nights, sunshiny days, and plenty of rain signal the right time to plant cool-season crops. First on my list this year are potatoes!

Potatoes are a great family garden project. They come in an assortment of colors, they are easy to grow and as much fun as a treasure hunt to harvest. Sunshine and timing are the first considerations for growing potatoes. You must have a spot that receives six or more hours of sunshine a day. Potatoes should be started from now until early May. Don’t delay! You’ll have little success once the temperatures rise in summer.

Growing potatoes in a container is a good solution for those of us who want to grow food, but are short on space or new to gardening. Containers could be 5 gallon or larger buckets, grow bags, or a large fabric or strong plastic bag that drains. The larger the container the more potatoes you’ll grow. This year I’m experimenting with growing potatoes in a burlap sack. Our friends at Orinoco Coffee Roasters donated some burlap coffee sacks to the Enchanted Garden. They are selling burlap sacks to raise money for the Howard County Food Bank.

Potato plants start with seed potatoes. Seed potatoes are really tubers with eyes or buds. Those buds are the start of new potato plants. Give them soil, water, and the right conditions and you’ll be harvesting potatoes in three to four months. You can purchase seed potatoes locally where you would buy seeds, or you can order them online. Don’t be tempted to try grocery store variety potatoes. Most of those have been inoculated to prevent root growth. You might see eyes on grocery store potatoes, but rarely roots.

Potatoes are filled with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. You can prepare them mashed, roasted, fried, or in other creative ways. You can add them to salads, top them with almost anything for a main course, or turn them into latkes. Potatoes store well and feed many. Don’t you want to grow potatoes? To try this project at home, check out my video tutorial that explains all the steps.

Burlap bags: https://www.orinococoffeeandtea.com/product/green-bean-burlap-bag/

For additional information and inspiration, please check out these HCLS resources:

Adult collection:

The Complete Book of Potatoes: What Every Grower and Gardener Needs to Know by Hielke De Jong

Children’s collection:

George Crum and the Saratoga Chip by Gaylia Taylor, illustrated by Frank Morrison (also available as an ebook from Libby/OverDrive)

Ann joined the Miller HCLS staff as the Enchanted Garden Coordinator and Instructor in 2012. When not gardening you’ll find her reading, cooking, and exploring trails in the Patapsco River Valley with her husband and dog.

The photograph depicts a walled winter garden with a path and a greenhouse, with morning sunlight glistening across the frost on the plants.

Winter Gardening Ideas

January 29, 2021juliefitzreader 1 Comment

By Ann H.

To every thing there is a season. This is especially true for gardeners. Winter may bring a drop in temperatures and light, but surely not idleness for the devoted gardener. Winter is the season to prepare, ponder, and plan!

Prepare your tools for the next season by inspecting them for cleanliness and sharpness. Garden tools get dirty from use and pose risks to your plants by spreading disease. Rust accumulates from moist conditions and sharp edges dull with use. I start by removing any dirt with a stiff wire brush. Then, I use steel wool to rub off any rust. Next, I apply rubbing alcohol with a rag to disinfect. Lastly, I apply a light coat of oil to the metal parts to prevent rust and to keep moving parts working smoothly. I prefer to use a plant-based oil such as linseed oil. Tools used for pruning and cutting should be inspected for sharpness. A dull tool increases the possibility of injury to you and your plants. A few hardware stores in our local community offer tool sharpening services at reasonable prices.

Winter invites pondering the possibilities of spring. My mood soars when I look through seed catalogs and garden books. We can transform any location with a few seeds or humble seedlings. I’ve switched to online seed catalogs and tend to favor local companies such as Meyer Seed Company of Baltimore, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (VA), and Burpee Seeds and Plants (PA). When searching for hard to find or heirloom seed varieties I turn to Seed Savers Exchange, Hudson Valley Seed Company, and Renee’s Garden Seeds. Or, cut down on shipping altogether and head to Clarks Ace Hardware or Southern States Home and Garden Service. They expect their seed selections to arrive by the beginning of February. If you’re starting seeds indoors this winter, be sure to check out the University of MD Extension – Home and Garden Information website for a short tutorial.

Garden-themed books keep my creative juices flowing. Lately, I’ve been pondering ways to grow more food in the Enchanted Garden and still provide plenty of habitat for pollinators. Edible landscaping has been around for decades, but is gaining attention as many people look for ways to grow their own food as well as flowers. Author and gardener Rosalind Creasy has written two trusted books to give you all the detail you need to get started growing a combination of flowers, vegetables, and herbs: Edible Landscaping and The Edible Herb Garden (also available as a ebook through CloudLibrary). Niki Jabbour explains how to garden in any setting and for any level gardener. Check out Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden. Each decision I make about gardening I examine through an “earth stewardship” lens. Reading Doug Tallamy’s latest book, Nature’s Best Hope (also available as an ebook through OverDrive/Libby), reminds me to create a garden that enriches the soil, provides for wildlife, and supports all life.

A photograph of Enchanted Garden Coordinator Ann's gardening plan. This includes a diagram of the garden, with splashes of color in reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, and greys to represent plants and flowers; listed are sunflower, cosmos, and zinnias. Underneath the garden diagram it reads "Front Bed 2020 - Planted May 20 Sunflower - seed savers: Evening Sun. Cosmos - Burpee: Sensation Mixed Colors - not many blooms. Zinnia - Renee's Garden: State Fair Gold Medal (SF). Zinnia - Renee's Garden: Cut & Come Again (CCA)." — A flower garden plan from Enchanted Garden Coordinator Ann.

Planning is part of the fun of gardening. I enjoy sketching my garden plans to use as a guide and to save from year to year (with notes) as a reminder of what worked and what didn’t turn out as expected. Give me graph paper and color pencils on a cold winter afternoon and I am a happy gardener! If you prefer using online planning tools, try the GrowVeg online planner, which offers a free seven-day trial. In addition to tailoring your plan to your space and location, the planner allows you to find companion plants and provides start and harvest dates. You can learn more with their helpful overview video.

How do you prepare for a new garden season during winter? What inspires and sustains you when our gardens rest in the cold?

A bright red bunch of ripe strawberries overhangs a natural weathered wood planter box.

Gardening Delights

May 21, 2020May 21, 2020Kristen B. 2 Comments

A small clump of bright red strawberries still on the stem hangs over the edge of the weathered wood of a garden box.

by Ann Hackeling.

Mention gardening and I smile. Gardening lifts my spirits and keeps me grounded at the same time. I like the feel of damp-crumbly soil, I like to see and imagine the zillions of creatures working together below ground to support life above ground. I feel thankful when new shoots burst through the soil and reach for the sky. My heart warms when I observe birds, bees, and butterflies visit the banquet table I prepare with them in mind.

Gardening makes me smile because I can play a small part in nurturing goodness and beauty from the earth. What I miss the most about the Enchanted Garden is sharing my joy with others. For the past eight years spring meant reconnecting with volunteers and the community in the
Enchanted Garden. My mornings were filled planting, weeding, watering, turning compost… with the help of fellow gardeners and in the company of library visitors. What a treat it was to share that first picked strawberry or witness a bee pollinate a tomato, together.

I am thrilled to be the Enchanted Garden Coordinator and can’t wait to see you in the garden. Until then, I hope you enjoy my On Demand Learning videos, available on the Library’s YouTube channel.

You can also find free online resources available via the Library’s website. You just need a Library card number and PIN. If you don’t have one, you can register for a temporary digital account.

Available to read as an eBook on RB Digital Books:
Living with Nature Underfoot by John Hainze
Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy
The Intelligent Gardener by Steve Solomon
Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell
The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart

And there’s a couple of great magazines in Press Reader:
Organic Gardener Magazine
Kids Go Gardening,
Kitchen Garden

and in RB Digital Magazines:
Birds and Blooms
Mother Earth News
Rodale’s Organic Life

Ann is a Master Gardener and the Enchanted Garden Coordinator at the HCLS, where she has worked for HCLS for eight years. You can find her smiling in the garden and sharing her passion for plants, nature, and our community.

CHAPTER CHATS

Howard County Library System Blog

Tag gardening