People don’t always think of the Garden as a place to read, but we have the perfect backdrop for your escape into another world. Don’t wait until after the weather turns; grab a book and pick your sweet spot soon—we’ve got plenty of benches throughout our 385-acre grounds, some of them tucked away in secluded areas and others more public.
We asked Leora Siegel, senior director of the Lenhardt Library, to recommend some books for you to read at the Garden. Two of the recommended selections are available as ; the remaining books will be available for checkout at the Library when it eventually reopens or are available now from online sellers, including (your purchases through this link support the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, if you designate us as the recipient).
Bonus for members: While the Lenhardt Library is closed, more than 7,000 horticulture and gardening e-books are now available for at no charge.
You’ll see the influence of gardens in Victorian Britain in the English Walled Garden. This book brings that era to life and tracks the rise of suburban gardens and technology that made gardening more accessible to amateurs.
This well-reviewed book explores 800 years of the art, essence, and enduring impact of Japanese gardens. Garden designer Sophie Walker features 100 gardens in a series of essays, from ancient Shinto shrines to contemporary Zen designs.
Forest bathing is the practice of seeking a deeper connection with nature by spending dedicated time surrounded by trees. The author explains the science and health benefits behind shinrin-yoku.
This inspirational guide is filled with ideas on how you can incorporate nature materials and play structures to get kids exploring and learning outside. The author includes illustrated, step-by-step projects to encourage young ones to appreciate nature play. This selection is available for members to .
Landscape designer Judy Nauseef shows gardeners how to make native plants part of well-designed gardens in the Upper Midwest. The author provides specific regional information in the context of habitat and species losses in tallgrass prairie states. This selection is available for members to
Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden
A little girl is inspired by a collection of garden poems. She and her mother decide to plant their own garden. Lola soon has a garden full of beautiful sunflowers. Rosalind Beardshaw’s charming illustrations bring the story to life.