Read a book to someone you love.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Vermont Master Gardener Program

echinacea blooming in Kellogg-Hubbard Library garden,2006, photo by Rachel SenechalYellow crocuses are blooming in the Kellogg-Hubbard Library garden. The tulips are pushing their way out of the ground, too. It's exciting to see this new plant growth and bright blooms amidst the dirty snow and mud. It's a sign of Spring although it doesn't feel like it with the cold wind we've experienced the last couple of days. Each year I enjoy watching the library gardens unfold. They are so beautiful! We thank the Washington/Orange Chapter of the Vermont Master Gardeners Program for creating and maintaining the library gardens. It's fun to see what combination of plants they showcase in the window gardens next to our School Street entrance. Each year it's different. There is always something edible along with the flowers. One year the staff picked lettuce from that garden to add to their lunches. In addition to adding beauty to our library, the Master Gardeners also organize workshops and programs at the library. This Saturday, March 31 at 10:00am we will have our third year of Tree Pruning with Dave Wilcox, District Urban and Community Forester, with the Agency of Natural Resources. We'll meet in the East Montpelier Room for instruction of how and when to prune trees, then head outside to prune the crabapple trees in the front of the library. For the past two years it has rained during this workshop. It probably will rain again this year so bring your raincoat and umbrella and join us for this great program. Next month the Master Gardeners have organized a program called, Wild Edibles: Spring Greens and other Edibles with Mike Ather and in June we'll have another pruning workshop, for shrubs. The Vermont Master Gardeners website has a page of book recommendations from our Washington-Orange Chapter Gardeners that indicates which books are in our collection. Check it out!