The Librarians’ Garden

Swiss Chard crop covered by snow.

The librarians of the Williams Law Library were given an opportunity last spring to plant a garden in an unused planter box next to the library’s entrance.  Hanna Miller, an avid gardener and the library’s special collections librarian, had been waiting for such a chance and quickly brought together a small group of like-minded librarians and staff to take on the task.  By the end of May the garden had been planted with tomatoes, corn, watermelon, sunflowers, marigolds, basil, egg plant, zucchini, cucumbers,cantaloupe, and zinnias.

The garden was enjoyed all summer, and well into the fall, by the library’s staff and wildlife alike.  Throughout the season the garden was visited by monarchs, eastern black swallowtails, and other butterflies, along with honeybees, bumble bees, goldfinches, cardinals, and at least one humming bird.  Plans for next year’s garden are already underway and we look forward to keeping the friends of the library up to date!

Vegetable Garden: Corn & Zucchini.

Monarch butterfly collecting nectar pollen.