The Ann Arbor Bonsai Society will be holding a auction at the U-M Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. Items featured will include bonsai equipment, trees, and pots provided by club members. Once you have your bonsai, be sure to check-out the wide selection of books on growing bonsai here at the library.

Just because fall is sneaking up on us doesn't mean we need to quit gardening!

Have you asked yourself these questions recently?

1. Do I prune my shrubs in the fall or do I wait until spring?
2. When is it safe to pull out my annuals?
3. Can I divide my perennials now?
4. Do I fertilize my plants for the upcoming winter?
5. Do I cover any plants in my garden before winter comes?

In his book Month-by-month Gardening in Michigan, author James A. Fizzell discusses the most effective planting techniques like how and when to prune, and gives us information on the best season for fertilizing. He leaves no branch unturned as he covers annuals, bulbs, herbs, vegetables, houseplants, lawns, perennials, roses, shrubs, and trees!

So, take the guesswork out of gardening, get your hands on a copy of this fabulous book, and make nice with your garden all year round!!

compost

That's right, folks, the City is lowering the prices on Compost. They're overstocked and ready to deal. Prices are discounted 12-20% on cured compost while supplies last. Pick up your compost at the Drop-Off Station or W. R. Wheeler Service Center and help your garden grow. Let the composting begin.

This chilling and mesmerizing procedural/cozy debut from the creator of the UK cult award-winning television mystery series Silent Witness introduces Deputy Chief Inspector Mark Lapslie, who suffers from a rare neurological condition.

In Still Waters*, it appears that a clever and ruthless serial killer with keen knowledge of garden plants is targeting little old ladies. Money does not seem to be the motive. They were all poisoned, and what about those missing fingers on their right hands?

Nigel McCrery worked as a police officer before attending Cambridge University. Still Waters is the first in a projected series.

For fans of psychological thrillers of Minette Walters and Val McDermid, and the Inspector Morse and Miss Marple television series. AND a great readalike for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

* = Starred Review

So, you've got a garden. Now you want to add a little pizzazz!!

What to do, what to do...

These following books can get that wheel of imagination turning so you can make that garden "ALL YOU".

Try the books; Garden Details: Accents, Ornaments, and Finishing Touches for the Garden by Warren Schultz, Smith & Hawken Garden Ornament by Linda Joan Smith, and Ornament in the Small Garden by Roy Strong.

These wonderfully illustrated books include amazing color photographs that help start you thinking about concepts like color, symmetry, material, and function within your garden space. Is your style classic or unusual when it comes to garden elements? Do you favor a garden in which ornamentation is filled with bold colors or muted earth tones? Is your style whimsical, or is it all about functionality?

You want to make your own garden ornamentation that reflects all your personal styles at once? We have a book for that too! Check out Creative Garden Mosaics by Jill MacKay.

The possibilities are endless, and these books are sure to inspire. So, get out there and spruce up that garden! Your gnome wants some company, he told me.

Zen Gardening by Sunniva Harte, is a wonderful book that explores the principles of a Zen garden. Zen gardens are created spaces that promote calm, tranquility, and beauty. Whether you decided a tiny space is right for you, or a larger outdoor garden is what you had in mind, a Zen garden will accomodate your needs perfectly. Zen gardens, whether large or small, incorporate a few simple elements which were adopted centuries ago by Buddhist Monks.

This book, with full color illustrations, takes the novice Zen gardener through the principles of Zen gardening. Sunniva Harte does a wonderful job illustrating complex principles of Zen gardening. She teaches us the motive for creating outdoor spaces along Zen principles, and reveals the meaning of the different elements.

Newbies will learn to create a harmonious and peaceful garden. If you have been thinking about creating a Zen garden, then this is your time to do it!! Make yourself a wonderful space that will nurture your spirit, relieve everyday stress, and promote quiet reflection.

You can still join Community Farm of Ann Arbor and get plenty of fresh, local food this growing season. There is even a kitchen tied to the farm. Need more green ideas? Check out the new book Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying.

You have been thinking about starting a garden, but you just haven't taken that first step yet....

Well don't wait any longer!!! The best way to start any new hobby is by jumping in with both feet!

This is the perfect time of the year to start a garden, and we have many books on gardening here in the library to get you on your way. If you are like I am, then you probably have a lot of questions that need to be answered before you take on a new gardening project.

Check out this wonderful book, The New York Times 1000 gardening questions & answers. This book will get you started by answering some of your basic questions regarding gardening.

Who cares if you don't know everything a master gardener knows! Your thumb has to be a little brown before it gets green.

My favorite class at U of M was Woody Plants, and the required text, written by Burton V. Barnes and the late great Warren H. Wagner, is well worth reading...although it didn't keep me from killing several shrubs and a Pinus Strobus. AADL has several books about gardening in Michigan for both experts and those of us with perennially black thumbs. The free edition of Michigan Gardener (available at many locations around town) recommends the following in their April 2008 issue: The Michigan Gardener's Companion: An Insider's Guide to Gardening in the Great Lakes State, Covering Ground, and Viburnums: Flowering Shrubs for Every Season.