Spring is here! With flowers, rain, bees, and a sense of hope. Whether you’re planting a vegetable garden or flowers, working in a large yard or making the most of a small paved space, gardening inspiration awaits with these titles and more.
Pacific Northwest Native Plant Primer by Kristin Currin and Andrew Merritt
Discover the benefits of native plants, including reduced maintenance, lower water usage, and support of pollinators such as birds, butterflies and bees. Then proceed on to the profiles of 225 flowers, grasses, ferns, shrubs and trees native to Washington, Oregon, and southern British Columbia, including all the info you need to get planting.
The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City by Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight
Make the most of small spaces! Explore different small space gardening styles, for both flowers and vegetables; discover a variety of containers; learn how to maximize space – including vertically; and consider how your garden can be used for entertaining, maintaining privacy, or supporting urban wildlife.
The Beginner’s Guide to Growing Great Vegetables by Lorene Edwards Forkner
From the basics through to garden planning, Forkner covers everything you need to know to create and maintain a thriving garden – in the ground or in containers on a balcony or patio, from soil to sun to fertilizer. A month-by-month calendar lays out suggestions for what a gardener should be doing and planting all year long.
100 Plants to Feed the Birds by Laura Erickson
Whether you’re an avid birdwatcher, or a gardener with an interest in supporting local wildlife, Erickson (of the podcast For the Birds) includes everything you need to know to create a four-season garden habitat of trees, grasses, herbs, shrubs and flowers that support avian needs for nesting, feeding, and roosting. Actionable suggestions and dynamic photos of birds and plants provide inspiration.
We Garden Together! Projects for Kids: Learn, Grow, and Connect with Nature by Jane Hirschi
If you’re hoping to making gardening a family affair, check out this guide to introducing children to gardening. Hirschi suggests a variety of hands-on activities for planting, growing, and exploring, accompanied by photos of 3-6-year-olds in action.
For even more inspiration, check out our librarian-created booklists on Gardening and Gardening in the Pacific Northwest.
~ posted by Andrea G.
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