Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

Berthoud Library receives Plant Select designation

July 15, 2016 | Local News

By Surveyor Staff

The Berthoud Community Library District has been named a Plant Select Demonstration Garden. The Library joins 68 other gardens from the Rocky Mountain region with the designation, and it’s just another way to educate the library’s patrons, according to Berthoud Community Library CEO Amie Pilla.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to educate and connect with our community,” said Pilla. “Our Demonstration Garden joins other initiatives such as our Seed Library and our preschoolers’ Pizza Garden to help people in the area learn about gardening in Colorado.”

Plant Select is a nonprofit collaboration between Colorado State University, the Denver Botanical Gardens, and professional horticulturists who identify plants that thrive well in the Rocky Mountains’ diverse growing conditions. Plants are selected for their ability to thrive with little water, resistance to disease, uniqueness, and lasting beauty. The Demonstration Garden is an ongoing project that is always available for residents to utilize.

“The fact that we’re located in the center of the community also helps,” data specialist Diane Trojahn said. “People can visit our grounds and learn from us even when the library building isn’t open.”

The Berthoud Library totally renovated the facility’s landscaping starting last summer and put in all new plants, designed to be low-water species.

“We have a really nice garden with landscaping without having to spend a lot of money to maintain it,” Pilla said.

It’s also a learning opportunity for Pilla and library staff as well.

“We’re asked to report yearly how well our plants are growing, and we may be asked to try new plants that are being tested or introduced,” says Pilla.  “We’ll get to learn alongside our community what works and what doesn’t, all while being better stewards of the resources we have. It’s an exciting opportunity for everyone in the area.”

The Plant Select designations allows the Library access of educational materials for locals to learn about environmentally friendly gardening and landscaping.

“They’ll be able to see the plants on the grounds and how to grow them and how they are doing on our property,” Pilla said.

Pilla said the library plans labeling of specific plants on the property as well, so people can identify the plants they may like to try at their residence.

The specific plants selected for participating gardens include species that thrive in a broad range of conditions, flourish with less water, are tough and resilient in the challenging climates, unique, disease and insect resistant, have long-lasting beauty and are non-invasive, according to the organization’s website plantselect.org.

More information about Plant Select® is available at the Berthoud Community Library District or at plantselect.org.

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