Sunday, May 16, 2010

Helen Fowler Library of the Denver Botanic Gardens


Link to May 14 Denver Post article, "The Denver Botanic Gardens library holds a horticultural treasure".

Excerpt: The library at the Denver Botanic Gardens is named after Helen Fowler, whose surname — word nerds might note — can be rearranged to form the word "Flower."

She and her husband, John, owned Shadow Valley Gardens in Wheat Ridge. Helen Fowler launched DBG's library in 1948, when she donated her personal collection of 500 titles related to horticulture.

Originally part of the Colorado Forestry and Horticulture Association, the library first hired a paid librarian in 1971. Today, the world-class Helen Fowler Library circulates a collection of some 28,000 volumes, DVDs, CDs, videos, 250 different industry periodicals, nursery catalogs, pamphlets and slides related not only to world flora, but also horticulture,

A look inside the 16th-century book by Leonhard Fuchs about horticultural medicinal uses. ( | )landscaping, agriculture, flower arrangement, botanical art, medical botany, insects, nature crafts, plant lore and sundry topics related to the plant kingdom.

"We provide and preserve materials covering so many things," said April Miller, head librarian since August 2009.

The library counts among its patrons teachers, families, professional researchers, hobbyists, gardening professionals and novice gardener
s.

In Madison, Wisconsin, we have the Schumacher Horticultural Library at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens.

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