The Secret Garden At The Philippi Public Library

The gardening season is winding down, but the work at the Philippi Public Library continues as long as the weather holds. The idea for The Secret Garden began two years ago when Judy Larry bought pumpkins to decorate the library and for the library’s first Literary Pumpkin contest. Larry said, “We could grow our own pumpkins! We could even grow a community garden with much more than pumpkins!” That led to the larger project of The Secret Garden. Larry said that the name The Secret Garden was for the beloved children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Larry continued, “We wanted to make the garden for children, teens, and adults to inspire them to come plant and tend the garden and to learn about growing and harvesting their own food. We want to inspire them to lead healthier lives through mentorship and hands-on education about seeds, plants, nutrition, and gardening. This project is about being together as a community.”

Over the past two years, The Secret Garden volunteers and library staf have created the garden at the Philippi Public Library. There are several square foot vegetable gardens, a pumpkin patch planted in a purchased galvanized raised bed, a vegetable bed in another galvanized raised bed, flowers in painted recycled tractor tires, a sensory herb garden, a green bean tunnel with strawberries, a sunflower circle, a few donated rose bushes, and some other perennial flowers. Individuals and local businesses have donated wood, hardware, soil, compost, cattle panels, plants, seeds, and more for this project. The library has received several monetary donations for the garden which helps to pay for the beds and supplies.

The garden is on the area between the Barbour County Community Garden Market and the library. The goal is to create a garden space that is a peaceful, beautiful place to garden, read, explore, have a lunch or snack, reflect, see some public art, and play some music on the music stations that will be there.

Larry and her staff created a program from the work in the garden. Every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until approximately noon has been The Secret Garden day at the library. During the summer, children and their families met in the garden for a read aloud book about gardening, insects, seeds, etc. The children get to help plant, weed, and water the garden. Most days they got to do a craft such as painting rocks to look like bees, lady bugs, or part of Ssseverusss the Snake. Over time, more will be added to the garden. There are plans for a dwarf apple trees, possibly more vegetable beds, and more flowers.

The garden also included some whimsical, musical, and artistic features, including painted clay pot solar light holders and steppingstones which Larry hopes to add to the garden before winter. Eventually, the the garden will also have some music stations and other public art. Some local artists have promised to paint some of the posts in the garden . Also, the community donated bricks to the garden. Most of these were used to enhance the sunflower circle. Local artists painted them to resemble children’s books. “We welcome anyone who wants to donate their time to paint a brick or a rock for our garden.”

Currently, volunteers and staff are trying to complete the mulching in The Secret Garden so they can add the steeping stones and the solar light holders before winter. Recently they added landscape squares as the beginning of an outdoor classroom. “We will continue to work in the Secret Garden until it is too cold to do so,” said Larry. “If anyone can volunteer a few hours, there is plenty to do before winter.”

To volunteer for any of the projects or for more information, please contact the library at 304-457-3495 or stop by the library.