News from our Librarians 2019

by Nancy Senior and Bev Mcleod.

The Saskatchewan Perennial Society Library is found in the front left corner of Emmanuel's downstairs hall, where we hold our information meetings. Don't let its unobtrusive air fool you: there are great things to be found there. Thanks to Margot Hawke and Heather Brenneman for their work with the library over the past years.

Many garden books tend to fall into one of two groups: practical information, and inspiration (sometimes known as garden porn). The first type includes books on gardening on the prairies. In the second type are found the many books about fabulous gardens that we in Saskatchewan can only salivate over, but never reproduce. Of course books can combine both tendencies, with sumptuous pictures and help for the working gardener.

Here are some recent acquisitions to the library:

Building Natural Ponds, by Robert Pavlis, New Society Publishers, 2017

According to the author, a natural pond, without pumps, filters, or chemicals, is a complex, environmentally friendly ecosystem. If you maintain correct oxygen and carbon dioxide balance, and the right relation of pond size to the amount of plant material and the number of fish, you can avoid build up of algea.

There are plenty of beautiful photos of ponds in different styles, but most of the book consists of information: environmental benefits of natural ponds, kinds of ponds, planning and design, building, fish, plants and maintenance.

Recreating Eden (DVD), Merit Motion Pictures. Season Two (2006) and Season Five (2008)

Photograph credit - Marjorie Harris, Recreating Eden Season Two

These DVDs come from a series of television programs. Each of the 13 half hour episodes per year visits a garden - and a gardener - in different parts of Canada or in other countries. In some episodes, the gardener tells the story of how his or her life was changed by the garden. In others, the life of a remarkable person is celebrated. See stars of Canadian gardening such as Lois Hole and Marjorie Harris, and everything from the personal (back yards) to the productive (olive groves) to the spectacular (Butchart Gardens).

Bev knew and enjoyed these programs before the two DVDs were donated to our library, but they were a new discovery for Nancy. The series is a real treasure.