13. Libraries and gardens

In contrast to yesterday's post about the possibilities of new technologies, today I want to write about something completely different. Gardens! Autumn is the most beautiful time for gardens and I bet there are more than a few librarians out there who love them. Didn't Cicero famously say

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

Quite. I grew up on a property with a really great garden. Now I live in a small apartment. But the great thing is, we've just started a community garden in the common area. We're growing herbs of all descriptions, lemons, limes, aloe, curry leaf - there's even a small bay tree. Everyone's taking turns at watering and looking after the garden. All we need now is some nice seats, a shady spot and a few good books....

I heard that the plans for the new City of Perth library will have a rooftop community garden. I hope it's like the garden out the front of the State Library which gives a lovely atmosphere to the cultural centre, not to mention free herbs for the dinner! My perfect library would have a garden. A big one. There's a nice wiki about library gardens here, with some really awesome photos and ideas for collaborations.

The photos on this blogpost are from my parents garden - at the house where I grew up, and where my dad still tends the garden daily.

 I'll be getting my hands dirty again this weekend... Happy gardening!