BELFAST — The Belfast Garden Club has donated 22 new books to the community this year, expanding its library book donation program to include area schools for the first time.

“It is the hard work of our 100+ members and the generosity of our community, that allows us to give back in these ways,” said President Barb Gage, in a Garden Club news release. “Donating books to schools aligns with our goal to stimulate a knowledge and love of nature and it builds on our efforts to help support students in the school gardens.”

Books donated to Belfast Community Outreach Program in Education (BCOPE), will be used to kick start their plans to be market gardeners in 2022. Six new books include topics on flower farming, companion planting, tools and techniques for organic home and market gardening, small space gardening, and books on flowers and vegetable growing. BCOPE’s goal is to have a self sustaining garden that provides the school’s kitchen with produce as well as enough left over for the students and teachers to use at home.

East Belfast and Nickerson Elementary Schools also received two new books, The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grownups and The Curious Garden, in addition to a $200 check to purchase garden tools for their new garden program aimed at younger students. 

The Belfast Free Library received three new children’s books by authors such as Eric Carle, and on the topics including foraging with kids and exploring the diversity of life through science activities. The 13 adult-oriented books cover a broad range of topics from garden design to garden allies (insects, birds, and others) to the coming insect apocalypse, to art in the garden and a bee identification book. One even focuses on creating felted flowers. 

If asked to choose their favorites amongst such a breadth of topics, Book co-chair Astrid Bowlby picked Earth in Her Hands by Jennifer Jewell, and co-chair Mary Davis selected New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden by Kelly D. Norris.

Check out the books (literally), which will be on display at the library until the end of January. A complete list of all books donated will be posted to the Club website.

Books and supporting school garden projects are not the only community contributions the Belfast Garden Club makes. It has also planted trees and thousands of flowers in 12 public gardens around town and offers monthly horticultural and environmental programs that are open to all. Go to BelfastGardenClub.org to learn how you can participate.