Check it out

With or without April showers, you can grow flowers and more in May and

beyond -- with help from library resources. From basic references about

gardening to works that focus on esoteric aspects of coaxing greenery

from the ground, there are numerous aids to fertile connections with

Mother Earth.

Among the newer additions to the Newport Beach Public Library’s print

collection is “The Inviting Garden,” a volume with lush photographs and

eloquent text aimed at inspiring readers to reach for a trowel. Written

from the viewpoint that gardening is much more than a hobby, this tribute

to the enterprise of cajoling a yield from the soil touts “the endless

intellectual stimulation [and] profound spiritual dimension” of

gardening.

Equally stunning, as well as motivational, is “Classic Plant

Combinations,” featuring 75 plant pairings organized by garden area and

type. From ancient partnerships such as roses and honeysuckle to

combinations attributed to particular designers, suggested groupings will

help serious gardeners achieve effects with foliage that are greater than

the sum of their parts.

You could turn a tired garden into a multihued paradise with tips from

“The Exotic Garden,” written for gardeners interested in incorporating

tropical plants into household plots. Even if the nearest rain forest is

a continent away, you may learn to cultivate banana, bougainvillea and

other plants typically found in tropical climes with this guide for

temperate zones.

Even a tiny urban plot can be transformed into a haven for turtles,

butterflies and birds. You may learn how in “The Wildlife Sanctuary

Garden,” featuring tips on what to plant to attract native wildlife, how

to naturally keep pests at bay and how to make sure domestic pets coexist

peaceably with wild creatures.

If you’d like to incorporate a pond, stream or fountain stocked with

fish, frogs or other wildlife into your outdoor sanctuary, check out

“Water Gardening Basics.” Along with suggestions for planning and

installing water features, this new volume covers pond chemistry and

offers trouble-shooting ideas for problems you might encounter when

creating a water garden.

Beyond their flavor-enhancing properties, herbs can be cultivated as

ornamental plants. Find detailed information on how to grow 80 popular

varieties from seeds or cuttings in “Herbs in Bloom,” a fine guide to

using herbs for their beauty, as well as for practical uses.

Finally, anyone who counts time tending the soil as among his or her most

valued hours is sure to appreciate “The Quotable Gardener.” From one-line

zingers to lyrical stanzas and full paragraphs from the Bible, Chaucer,

Dickens, Shakespeare, Whitman and Wilde, there’s a treasury of wit,

wisdom and insight about the world’s most popular hobby in this new

volume.