Nine Books for Plant Lovers with Black Thumbs

It's the time of year that even the blackest of thumbs start thinking about gardening. We here at Carnegie-Stout are getting in the gardening spirit too with a Tin Can Planter workshop on Saturday, May 28. Attendees will decorate a recycled tin can into an attractive planter. Registration is required for this program. You can register online on our Program Calendar, or you can call the Reference Desk at 563-589-4225.

To help you brainstorm what you might grow in your tin can planter, we've put together a container gardening reading list in our catalog.

And for anyone who thinks they might prefer to put cut flowers or even artificial flowers in their tin can planter, or who would rather read about gardeners than garden themselves, we've put together a reading list of Nine Books for Plant Lovers with Black Thumbs:

The flower chef: a modern guide to do-it-yourself floral arrangements by Carly Cylinder
A modern, comprehensive guide to floral design that caters to all readers--from beginners who have never worked with flowers before and are looking for a new creative outlet, to decorators, party planners and photographers looking to liven up their spaces.

My first ladies: twenty-five years as the White House chief floral designer by Nancy Clarke
For six administrations, Clarke designed the flowers and decorations for state dinners and planned the floral arrangements for the first family's private living quarters and weddings. She describes the inside story of her remarkable life at the White House, working with each first lady to help her find her own personal style for state dinners and holiday festivities.

The flower workshop: lessons in arranging blooms, branches, fruits, and foraged materials by Ariella Chezar
A master floral designer who has appeared in numerous magazines and is known for her hands-on flower workshops at FlowerSchool New York presents this lavishly illustrated guide to creating a vast array of floral projects, for all skill levels, that will enhance any surrounding with abundant beauty.

Japanese fabric flowers: 65 decorative kanzashi flowers to make by Sylvie Blondeau
Sylvie Blondeau shows you how to make 65 of these simply stunning designs. The projects are so easy and fun to make that you will soon be making them for every occasion.

Origami ikebana: create lifelike floral sculptures from paper by Benjamin John Coleman

The Japanese art of flower arranging is an age-old practice that honors nature and creates beauty through harmony and balance. This brand new book, Origami Ikebana, shows you how to create unique ikebana-inspired paper flower arrangements any time of the year.

Bloom and Doom by Beverly Allen
As the co-owner of the Rose in Bloom, Audrey Bloom creates magnificent flower arrangements for brides to be. Though helping to plan a wedding can be stressful, it's nothing compared to the groom turning up dead.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.

Thyme of Death by Susan Wittig Albert
Eager to open up an herb shop and get closer to the earth, China Bayles leaves behind her career in corporate law and moves to Pecan Springs, Texas, but a close friend's tragic death could end her happy plans.

Backyard by Norman Draper
When a local nursery introduces a gardening contest, the gardeners of Livia jump into the competition with a vengeance, including a middle-aged couple who risk their retirement savings, a garden witch, and a self-styled gardening expert.