Today's blog comes from Janet Millett, Central Library staff:

Many of us in Calgary feel lucky to live both close to the mountains and to the prairies. However, for gardeners, this often means a double whammy of cold nights and short growing seasons along with the odd freak snowstorm, droughts and dry dusty winds. In other words, growing lush gardens bursting with colour can be a challenge.

Luckily, you don’t have to despair too much about sparse underperforming gardens. Calgary Public Library has a book called Painted Garden Art, by artist Lin Wellford, that allows you to take matters into your own hands. This book will show you how to turn stepping stones into butterfly walkways or cast stone blocks into elegant baskets of colorful blooms. Stone edgings can become a parade of pachyderms or a vibrant caterpillar.

You can also work magic with different sizes and shapes of rocks to scatter turtles, frogs, lizards and even fish ponds throughout the bare spots. And the really great thing about this book is that it’s very easy to paint these artistic creations. Many of the designs are basic and there are step-by-step illustrated directions provided.

Whether nature cooperates or not, it’s good to know that there is more than one way to create and enjoy an interesting and vibrant garden space.

- Jan