Plano Learns: Gardening

Garden green in Plano this summer with tips and tricks from Plano Public Library and the Sustainability and Environmental Education Department.

On June 4, 2020 we hosted a virtual workshop on Gardening featuring Erin Hoffer from the Sustainability and Environmental Education Department (SEED). View the recorded workshop below and access additional online resources.

Gardening in North Texas presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Is your yard drying up in the summer sun? Are you struggling to choose your next floral additions? SEED is here to support you. Learn application methods for compost and mulch, explore watering techniques for North Texas lawns and gardens, and much more.

Additional Resources

Library databases and websites

*resources available with a Plano Public Library card

• Gardening Articles on the Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center*
• Great Courses via Kanopy: view lectures such as “Sustainable Living” and “How to Grow Anything”*
• SEED website: take classes and view sustainability resources
• Texas SmartScape website: plant database and landscape design tools
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website: plant database, inspiration
• Water University website: watering and irrigation tools
• Texas Pure website: offers bagged and bulk compost and other surfacing

eBooks from the library

Gardening with Foliage First: 127 Dazzling Combinations that Pair the Beauty of Leaves with Flowers, Bark, Berries, and More by Karen Chapman & Christina Salwitz

Pretty Tough Plants: 135 Resilient, Water-Smart Choices for a Beautiful Garden by Plant Select

Touring Texas Gardens by Jessie Gunn Stephens

Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Douglas W. Tallamy & Rick Darke

Native Texas Gardens: Maximum Beauty, Minimum Upkeep by Sally Wasowski & Andy Wasowski

eBooks for kids

Gardening Lab for Kids: 52 Fun Experiments to Learn, Grow, Harvest, Make, Play, and Enjoy Your Garden by Renata Fossen Brown

Square Foot Gardening with Kids by Mel Bartholomew

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner & Christopher Silas Neal

Outdoor Science Lab for Kids: 52 Family-Friendly Experiments for the Yard, Garden, Playground, and Park by Liz Lee Heinecke

Browse our full collection, including a curated selection of garden-related books for all ages, in the Plano Public Library catalog. Place items for the whole family on hold for porch pick-up.