Into The Garden
Autumn Beckons; Here Are Some Books For Inspiration
By the Pauline Robinson Branch
Library team
For the GPHN
Headed into the cool of Autumn, here are a few book recommendations to inspire and assist you in the garden. You can’t go wrong with any books by Rob Proctor, a former director of horticulture at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Some people also know him from frequent interviews as a garden expert for 9News.
We have several of his books in our collection, including Herbs in the Garden: The Art of Intermingling, Gardening on a Shoestring, and Passionate Gardening: Good Advice for Challenging Climates (that one was co-written with Lauren Springer). All of his books include expert advice written specifically for our climate. For kids, try Let it Grow: A Frozen Guide to Gardening
Beetle Be Gone
All August, the Japanese Beetles feasted on our Roses of Sharon. Those big blossoms were just devoured. Now, we’re looking for solutions. The grub of this pest started life in our lawns, meaning we can treat our yards but also know they are also growing and thriving in the neighborhood. A couple of great websites could help all of us combat this major annoyance that is eating not just our Roses of Sharon, but ravaging so many other lovely plants and blooms.
Betty Cahill’s blog, at gardenpunchlist.blogspot.com/2020/08/japanese-beetle-august-2020-to-dos-and.html, details environmentally friendly pest controls and biological controls.
Dr. Whitney Cranshaw, Emeritus Entomologist at Colorado State University, also has a blog with a reference chart to view white grub control products, timing and environmental concerns. Check it out here: https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/insect/05601.pdf
Upcoming Virtual Programming
Secret Denver, with Eric Peterson and David Lewis | Thursday, Oct. 15, 6 p.m.
Co-authors Eric Peterson and David Lewis will share some of their favorite oddities and mysteries in and around Denver from their new book, Secret Denver (Reedy Press). The book uncovers the secrets of places ranging from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with appearances by numerous ghosts, hidden tunnels, and alleged elephants in between. Go to denverlibrary.org/events to sign up.
Reflective Life Writing | Friday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m.
Denver Public Library has partnered with StoryCenter, a nonprofit that helps people find and tell stories from their lives, to create a supportive, online space where we can gather together as a community to share our personal struggles and joys and moments of resilience. StoryCenter facilitators will draw on their experience with trauma-informed methods to help participants tell and share their personal stories of life in these times. Please register at storycenter.org/dpl-storytelling-webinar.
Virtual Kindness Club | Wednesday, Oct. 21, 4 p.m.
Who couldn’t use more kindness in their life? Each session we will embark on a kindness adventure together! Looking for ways to feel connected during COVID? We’ll focus on ways to be kind to the earth. Go to denverlibrary.org/events to sign up.
Upgrading Your Intimacy – Even In Quarantine Tuesdays at 4 p.m. Oct. 13, 20 and 27
How would your relationships and sex life be different if you had been taught about pleasure without guilt or shame? The possibilities are endless, diverse and beautifully unique. Caitlin Bovard, a sex therapist in the Denver area, has a superpower to talk about sex like the weather. In this web series, she explains what intimacy, desire and eroticism really are and how to apply these to you. Go to denverlibrary.org/events to sign up for all three segments.