Our Community Garden at the library has been prepped and is ready for seeds! We have five raised garden beds ready to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs.

 

The seed planting day will be on June 1^st, which is coincidentally the first day of our Summer Reading Program! Our gardening program is called Roots & Readers and it is a multigenerational program for patrons to get some hands-on gardening experience and learn more about gardening. We will meet in the garden at 11 a.m. every Thursday when the weather permits. In the event of rain or other severe weather, we will meet in the Conference Room and have an all-ages story time, watch a video, or take part in a craft related to the garden. Registration for this program is required. Please check our website's event calendar at bplwv.org/events to register for Roots & Readers. Announcements in the event of a cancellation or other important matters will be communicated to patrons via email.

 

We feel gardening is a valuable skill for everyone to have and we feel very lucky to be able to provide the space for our patrons to develop this skill and learn right along with them! Roots & Readers is a hands-on gardening experience for everyone. We will plant cucumbers, squash, lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, marigolds, and watermelons. When the planting has been done, we will then take care of our growing plants by watering, checking for pests, and eventually harvesting the plants. Patrons who attend Roots & Readers will have their first dibs on the vegetables, fruits, and herbs we grow and may take them home to enjoy. 

 

Young patrons will learn about different plants through stories that connect back to the plants they are watching grow, and adult patrons will have the opportunity to ask questions about gardening and learn new techniques. We also plan to host some other gardening-centric programs later this summer and fall. We will be adding different components to the community garden space over time such as stepping stones, benches, and a pollinator garden.

 

Anyone is welcome to join us in this new gardening adventure! Want to be involved in our community garden but can’t attend the Roots & Readers program? No worries! Patrons who want to get involved can contact Angela Spatafore, our Adult Services Coordinator, at aspatafore@bridgeportwv.com and she can discuss what opportunities are available.

 

We can’t wait to see what we can grow together!