After Valentine’s Day, we look forward to the coming of spring, with many of us planning the planting of gardens for the warmer months. You may plant gardens that yield bounties of fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Or maybe you enjoy the fragrant blooms of flowers in your outdoor space or cutting those blooms so vases of them can grace your tables indoors.
Take a deep dive into the reason for flowers, why we like them, what we do with them, and how grow them, with this list of books that explain not only what impact flowers have on our world but also about some of the folklore and myths behind flowers, how to arrange your garden, and tips for a healthy garden whether in the ground or in containers.
DB 29669 Garden flower folklore by Laura C. Martin
A botanical reference guide to more than one hundred flowers and their history. Information on each flower is listed by blooming seasons and includes common name, genus, species, family, brief description, and cultivation methods. Also contains interesting tidbits about each flower.
DB 83198 Reason for flowers: their history, culture, biology, and how they change our lives by Stephen L Buchmann
A pollination ecologist examines the impact of flowers in our world. Starting with their intersection with bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects, he moves on to the use of flowers in food, medicine, and perfume. He also looks at flowers in our culture, myths, and legends. 2015
DBC19720 Roses love garlic: companion planting and other secrets of flowers by Louise Riotte
From deterring insect pests with hot peppers to encouraging strawberries by bordering them with chrysanthemums, Louise Riotte shows you how to use the natural qualities of common plants to increase your garden's productivity. Roses Love Garlic profiles hundreds of plants, features sample garden designs, and includes recipes for using your harvest to make herbal cosmetics, medicinal mixtures, and plant-based dyes. You'll enjoy learning about the fascinating ways plants work together as you tend to a thriving and bountiful garden.
DBC17077 The armchair book of gardens: a miscellany by Jane Billinghurst
People have always created gardens. Where survival depended on fruitful crops, gardens were a link to the divine. Desert dwellers planted trees to banish heat and offer respite. Gardens were the oases that sheltered mythical heroes during their travels, and many religions portray the garden as the closest spot to paradise on Earth. Painters, sculptors, poets, and novelists from all parts of the world have celebrated the garden’s beauty, pondered its mysteries, and lamented the frustrations it can bring.
DB 105601 The first-time gardener: growing plants and flowers: all the know-how you need to plant and tend outdoor areas using eco-friendly methods by Sean McManus
A husband-and-wife team give tips for beginning gardeners. Topics include planning your garden, selecting plants, mulching, pruning, managing weeds, identifying and controlling pests and disease, time-management advice, and tips for resource-conscious gardening. 2021.
DB 102200 Container and fragrant gardens: how to enliven spaces with containers and make the most of scented plants by H. Peter Loewer
A guide to creating an aromatic garden or an indoor haven of perfumed houseplants. In addition to highlighting classic annuals, bulbs, perennials, vines, and woody plants that are fragrant and that do well in containers, this offers straightforward garden care advice. 2020.
DB 101815 The scentual garden: exploring the world of botanical fragrance by Kenneth Druse
A garden writer gives advice on planting for scent. He arranges both familiar and unusual garden plants, shrubs, and trees into 12 categories, giving gardeners a vastly expanded palette of scents to explore and enjoy, Also provides examples of garden designs that offer harmonious scentual delights. 2019.
DB 99339 A way to garden: a hands-on primer for every season by Margaret Roach
Moving through the calendar two months at a time, the author gives tips to help gardeners through every phase of growing. In addition to seasonal chores and practical advice, the author includes personal stories of her life in the garden. Some strong language. 2019.
BR 17694 Flowers: how they changed the world by William C. Burger
(digital braille)
ahuman history. Discusses biological basics and ways floral diversity protects against disease and ensures species survival. Emphasizes flowers' importance as an energy and food resource and as the basis of agriculture, enabling civilization to flourish. 2006.
BR14261 The ultimate container gardener: all you need to know to create plantings for spring, summer, autumn, and winter by Stephanie Donaldson
(digital braille)
Describes how to display flowers, herbs, and other plants in baskets, window boxes, or hanging containers for both inside and outside the home. Advice with instructions for year-round cultivation and selection of items for color, fragrance, and location. 2001.
These books are available through the BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) website and mobile app. We’ve included audio books and a couple of digital braille books that can be read using the braille e-reader. BARD lets you get the books you want when you want them without having to wait for the mail and doesn’t have any due dates or expiration.