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Master Gardener Volunteers

by | | TPL Gardens • Update

The Maine Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteers Program has been crucial in supplying volunteers, know-how and inspiration to the Topsham Public Library Gardens. The project began by bringing community volunteers together around an Eagle Scout project to shape the Children’s Garden into a learning and event space that would extend the library’s mission to its outdoor property. Master Gardeners turned out to be the best volunteers because they could be counted on to contribute knowledge, ideas, and commitment as well as sweat.

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Sarah Wolpow started working at the TPL Gardens as a Master Gardener Volunteer. When she started her perennial garden design business SweetFern Perennial Garden Design, the library was her first customer.

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Her “lower” maintenance, low water, spiral design can be seen in the garden today.

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Echoes of the design, if not whole portions will be retained in the future plan. This one was also designed by Irene Barber, another Master Gardener Volunteer turned professional.

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More than ever, implementing our future designs for the garden will take careful planning, thought, and organization. More than ever, we are looking for Master Gardener Volunteers to share their skills and passion for cultivating gardens AND community.

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Please include TPL Gardens on your Saturday, May 17

by | | TPL Gardens • Update

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….to help us dig and have a good time this Saturday May 17th.

Volunteers are tremendously important to the TPL Gardens.  Saturday May 17, from 10AM until 1PM we are looking for energetic individuals to help us with a variety of duties.  We’re building different sorts of raised beds. We’ll need extra muscle power to dig, move soil, and shift pavers. The work will go quicker and be more fun the more people we have!

And for those of you that like the idea of doing something healthy – a couple hours of garden activity will burn a couple hundred calories.  Why not?  To sign up, please contact development@topshamlibrary.org or just show up with work gloves  in the Children’s Garden between 10AM and 1pm on Saturday May 17.

The results are in….

by | | Special Events • Topsham Tales

Topsham’s favorite book is…. Harry Potter!

Joint Second Place: Divergent by Veronica Roth, Elephant and Piggie by Mo Willems
Joint Third Place: The Bible, Cave of the Clan Bear, Curious George, Geronimo Stilton, Gone with the Wind, Little Blue Truck, Pride and Prejudice, The Secret History, Smile, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Under the Tuscan Sun

Topsham’s favorite author is…Stephen King!

Second Place: J.R.R. Tolkien
Joint Third Place: Kenneth Roberts, Mo Willems, Neil Gaiman, Raina Telgemeier, Diana Gabaldon, Elisabetta Dami, John Bunyan

Here’s the full list: Tops of Topsham 2014

Spring is HERE!

by | | News • TPL Gardens • Update

Robert and Yota

Robert and Yota are back!

Yes!!! We started cleaning up the garden and gearing up for the season. Big THANK YOU to volunteers Robert DuBois and Sue Ham who started the spring clean-up and  gathering materials. This year we hope to

  • put in at least 2 if not 3 raised beds, all of them slightly unconventional– hugelkultur, spiral, tray height;
  • have a monthly volunteer gardener activity;
  • get more folks out enjoying the gardens;
  • put in universally accessible pathways.

Now for more pictures:

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Sue cleaning up.

Robert hauling wood for hugelkultur bed

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Sue cutting back.

compost and bed materials

Compost pile and staging area

Signs of Spring

by | | News • TPL Gardens

ARE WE THERE YET?

Garden Tripod DIY Birdfeeders

Who ate all the seeds?

Ok, ok.  It’s been a long winter.  As we approach March-end with temperatures still averaging in the mid thirties, the snow is melting.  We promise!

We may not force the snow to disappear any faster, but the Garden Committee is dedicated to making this the best launch ever of the gardening season!  While we wait for buds to appear, we are busily planning family-friendly programs and events to roll out this year.  Please stay tuned for ways you and your family can get involved!

In the meantime, explore the garden.  There are many signs of spring, and we’d love to hear about your experiences.  Capture bird sightings, tree and flower buds glimpses, and describe the sounds and smells of spring.  Instagramers, please use #TPLgardens when capturing images.  We’d love to see what you discover.  Facebook users, please share your images with us via https://www.facebook.com/pages/Topsham-Public-Library.

Bird feeder Activity

by | | Crafts • Maine Get Outdoors Weekend • TPL Gardens

WINTER IN THE GARDEN
Bird Feeder Activity Day February 15, 2014
DIY bird feeder made out of toilet paper rolls and garden twine .
Hanging edible bird feeders.  Each was made with a birdseed/flour mixture and left to harden.
Volunteers making popcorn garland to hang in the trees and bushes.
Volunteer rolling the toilet paper roll in birdseed after covering with shortening.
Bernardo hanging an abstract bird feeder.
Bird feeders in the bushes.
Garden teepee covered with bird feeders.
Orange peel bird feeder.

New additions to the JIC collection!

by | | Topsham Tales

Are you looking for a job, interested in changing careers or thinking about college? Check out our Job Information Center (JIC) down by the periodicals for information on colleges, study guides, resume building and more! Check out our pinterest board for new additions to the collection:

http://www.pinterest.com/topshampl/jic-collection/

Don’t forget we are featuring a job class in March–sign up now at the library!

Celebrate the Great Maine Outdoor weekend with us!

by | | Garden Programs • Growing the Community • Library Gardens • Maine Get Outdoors Weekend • TPL Gardens

Bring your family to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature this winter right here at the Topsham Public Library…



Saturday, February 14th-16th is the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend and we are hosting two events on Saturday the 15th:

  • From 9:15 on will be a hands-on exploration and identification of the trees along the library’s paths using a camera and the Trees of Maine guide.
  • Starting at 10:00am will be a DIY bird feeder activity, perfect to honor National Bird Feeding month.  Choose from several feeder options.  When you are through, head outside to hang them up throughout the library’s gardens and paths and have fun exploring. 

 

We look forward to seeing you then!