Dig into Books, Dirt, and Dinos!

This summer, the library invites you to Unearth a Story by digging into the fascinating world of plants. Beneath every leaf, root, and seed is a story waiting to be discovered—from towering prehistoric ferns that once grew alongside dinosaurs, to the tiny plants that thrive in our own backyards. As we explore books, activities, and hands-on learning this summer, we invite you to learn about plants, create terrariums, and bring historic landscapes to life. By planting, growing, and imagining new worlds, we can discover a story waiting to be unearthed. Read on for a list of upcoming programs about plants, terrariums, and gardening, as well as related reads from our collection!

PROGRAMS

ADULT

• Propagation: Making Plants for Free
  • Saturday, June 13, 11AM-12PM at Fairfield
  • Learn how to get new plants for free by growing them from seed, taking cuttings, dividing, and rooting. Presented by Henrico Cooperative Extension and Henrico Master Gardeners.

• Backyard Composting
  • Wednesday, June 24, 2-3PM at Gayton
  • Viewing food waste and yard debris as a renewable resource instead of garbage makes good sense. Demystify composting with these easy steps. Presented by Henrico Cooperative Extension and Henrico Master Gardeners.

• DIY Dino Terrariums
  • Wednesday, July 15, 7-8PM at Fairfield
  • Come create your own prehistoric world in a glass container!  This hands-on experience is great for plant lovers, dinosaur enthusiasts, and beginner crafters.  Plants and terrarium materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your own mini figures as well. 

• Native Plants
  • Saturday, July 25, 11AM-12PM at Fairfield
  • There are many advantages to growing native plants. Native plants take less care, feed wildlife, attract birds, and butterflies. Learn which native plants are best for landscaping. Presented by Henrico Cooperative Extension and Henrico Master Gardeners.

TEEN

• Terrariums for Teens
  • Wednesday, July 17, 2-3PM at Glen Allen
  • For grades 6-12. Dig into the summer by making a terrarium. All supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring any small figures or trinkets you would like to add to your terrarium.

• Dino Terrariums: Build a Prehistoric Mini World
  • Saturday, July 25, 2-4PM at Varina
  • Step back in time and design your own mini prehistoric habitat! In this hands-on maker program, teens and tweens will create a dinosaur terrarium using mini dinos, natural materials, and creative design elements. Participants will explore how environments tell stories while building a unique dino world to take home.

• Sun Print Fossils
  • Monday, July 27, 2:30-3:30PM at Fairfield
  • Explore paleobotany collections of fossilized plants and then make your own impressions using sun print or cyanotype photography. Materials will be provided but feel free to bring your own trinkets, flora, or other accessories to create unique impressions.

• Hacking Adulthood: Sustainable Home Gardening
  • Thursday, July 30, 3-4PM at Varina
  • Best suited for ages 15-25. In this installment of Hacking Adulthood, join us for a beginner gardening workshop designed to cover essential topics including: soil science, parts of a plant, seed starting, watering, plant maintenance, and basic pest control. Designed for new growers, it offers practical knowledge to help participants confidently grow and care for healthy home plants.

ALL AGES

• Discover Colonial and Native American Plants
  • Thursday, July 9, 2-4PM at Tuckahoe
  • The Central Virginia Botanical Artists will host live art demonstrations, crafts, and activities for all ages. Their focus will be on plants that Native Americans and colonists used 250 years ago for medicinal and culinary purposes as well as toy making. This program is offered as part of the library's commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and US Independence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. View additional programsin the VA250 series.

COLLECTION

In addition to programs, you can explore the wonderful world of plants by diving into our collection of books:

ADULT:

• A History of Plants in Fifty Fossils by Paul Kenrick
• The Kindest Garden: A Practical Guide to Regenerative Gardening by Marian Boswall (also available on Hoopla)
• Living With Air Plants: A Beginner's Guide to Growing and Displaying Tillandsia by Yoshiharu Kashima
• Miniature Terrariums by Fourwords
• Plant Craft: 30 Projects That Add Natural Style to Your Home by Caitlin Atkinson
• Succulents by Cassidy Tuttle
• Terrarium: 33 Glass Gardens to Make Your Own by Anna Bauer (also available on Hoopla)
• Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds by Amy Bryant Aiello
• Terrariums: Gardens Under Glass: Designing, Creating, and Planting Modern Indoor Gardens by Maria Colletti (also available on Hoopla)
• You Grow, Gurl! Plant Kween's Lush Guide to Growing Your Garden by Christopher Griffin (also available on Hoopla)

TEEN:

• A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds by Rebecca E. Hirsch (also available on Hoopla)
• Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (also available on Hoopla)
• Experimenting With Plants Science Projects by Robert Gardner (also available on Hoopla)
• Ninja Plants: Survival and Adaptation in the Plant World by Wiley Blevins (also available on Hoopla)

KIDS:

• A Kid's Guide to Making a Terrarium by Stephanie Bearce
• The Junior Plant Lover's Handbook: A Green Thumb Guide for Kids by Molly Williams
• Magical Miniature Worlds by Ben Newell
• My First Garden: For Little Gardeners Who Want to Grow by Livi Gosling
• Plant Pets: 27 Cool Houseplants to Grow and Love by Beatrice Boggs Allen