“A garden is a friend you can visit any time.”
— Okakura Kakuzo
There’s nothing to beat a garden in the summertime, and the garden at Oundle Library is there for everyone to use, whether they belong to the library or not. Our wonderful volunteers recently finished planting the summer flowers and everything is looking lovely – a green space for all of us to enjoy.
Shade and light
If you’re looking for a quiet, shady spot to sit and enjoy a book, visit the library garden. The seating beneath the apple tree offers dappled shade and feels close to nature. It’s also pretty close to the refreshments table in the library, so it’s easy to pop in for a drink refill when you need it.
Another option is The Cover, which is a cool place to read, relax or meet friends to chat over a cup of tea or coffee. Equally, it’s somewhere to play with a baby or toddler – and a toddler will really enjoy playing with the miniature garden, with its dinosaurs and jungle animals.
And whether you’re in shade or light, reading or chatting, don’t forget to take a moment to enjoy the plants and flowers as well!
A welcome facelift
Through the spring the Library Gardeners worked away to create the garden you see now. Last year they earmarked the border in the car park as needing a facelift, so they recently cleared things back to give the plants a bit more space and added a few new plants that will be more resilient in hot, dry conditions. It’s all part of their longer-term plan to make the garden more resilient to climate change so it requires less watering.
Ready for summer
In the garden itself, the winter planting was cleared to make space for summer flowers and the display of pots at the front door has been rejuvenated. Because the garden is now so lovely we expect it to be well-used during the summer; and it will be a lovely space for some of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge activities as well. Do make the most of the garden when you can!
As the summer proceeds there will be events in the library garden, so keep an eye on our Facebook page here or check with the library to find out what’s being planned.
Our thanks to the Library Gardeners who work so hard to make the garden such a special place!
