A gardener’s heart flourishes all twelve months of the year, even in the depths of winter. It’s during these dark, cold months that our imagination takes over and we dream of possibilities. We sketch out new beds and work seeds into fresh soil, nurturing herbs, vegetables, and flowers into burgeoning success to be enjoyed by all who visit our garden.
During my own verdant dreams, I read three books, recently acquired by the Library. Each explores the enthusiasm for gardening some of our most-loved writers had. All are authored by Marta McDowell, a landscape architect and lecturer at the New York Botanical Garden. She first discovered “the connection between pen and trowel,” as she puts it, while serving as the Emily Dickinson Museum’s Gardner-in-Residence.
In Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life: The Plants & Places That Inspired the Iconic Poet, McDowell follows Dickinson through a year in her gardens beginning with Early Spring. So many of Dickinson’s poems reference nature and as you travel through the seasons, you learn which plants she was growing both in her glass conservatory as well as in the land surrounding her home in Amherst, Massachusetts. Through photos and illustrations paired with Dickinson’s verse, you explore the plants she loved to grow and gain a new perspective on her writing. McDowell has also included an exhaustive annotated list of plants cultivated and collected by Dickinson and suggestions for growing your own poet’s garden.
Another inspiring read from McDowell is Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tales. Journey with Potter as she is impacted by the many gardens she experiences as a youth and develops her skills of drawing and painting flora and fauna. Potter’s beloved characters come to life as we learn how she designs and plants the gardens at her residences over the years. Included is a guide to visiting Potter’s gardens throughout England, a listing of plants she grew, as well as plants that appear in the text and illustrations in her books, organized by title. This is a must-have reference for all who admire Potter and her style of English gardening.
The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes That Inspired the Little House Books is our third source for gardening inspiration. McDowell first details the experiences of the Ingalls and Wilder families as they each struggle to survive the many challenges faced by settlers on the frontier. Landscapes and plants are explored in Wisconsin, New York, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. Laura’s connection to the land and the plants that surround her, later informs her books as she and her daughter, Rose, collect the stories of both families to be published as The Little House series. McDowell again includes a guide to visiting Ingalls Wilder gardens as well as a listing of plants Laura grew and knew.
Books are not the only garden inspiration we are offering at the Library. We are now home to the Charlotte Community Seed Share Library. Maintained by volunteers, the Seed Share Library offers free seeds for people to grow in their gardens as well as a way to share seeds that you are saving. Learn more about how you can be involved when you visit the Charlotte Community Library.
On your next visit the Library, you will notice that we weren’t just dreaming of our home gardens over the winter! We’ve also conjured up some exciting plans for our landscape facing Bostwick Street. We are in the process of creating a newly reimagined outdoor space for the Library. While reusing some of the existing plants, as well as some new additions, we are creating an outdoor setting for Library programs as well as a space the Community can enjoy visiting. We know you’ll love as much as we do the new walkway, compass, and bench being installed. Visit with us soon and watch it take shape as your Library continues to grow our offerings for you!
Recent Comments