Contemporary color in the landscape : top designers, inspiring ideas, new combinations by Andrew Wilson — In addition to the directions and tips on using color, selecting a palette, creating intensity, harnessing contrast to create drama, color combinations, and information on other technical ways of using color in your garden, the photographs in this book would stand on their own. They're gorgeous, and terrific inspiration for gardeners or anyone who appreciates natural beauty.

The complete guide to saving seeds : 322 vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits, trees, and shrubs by Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough — Purchasing plants every year can be expensive! Even buying seeds can add up after awhile, so why not save your own seeds? This book includes all the information you'll need to save seeds from herbs, vegetables, fruits, trees, and even shrubs. It also shows how to go a step further and customize your plants through cross-pollination.

Envisioning the garden : line, scale, distance, form, color, and meaning by Robert Mallet ; translated by Bryan Woy ; drawings by Yves Poinsot — Now that it's getting toward winter, it's a perfect time to work on garden plans for next year. It's hard to overstate the impact that careful planning can have on a garden space, but how many of us actually take time to do take all of these concepts into consideration before we start choosing varieties and planting? (Maybe it's just me who gets inspired and forgets to plan?) Either way, this book has a wealth of information that can help you create exactly the kind of garden space you desire.

50 beautiful deer-resistant plants : a gardener's guide to the best annuals, perennials, shrubs, ferns, bulbs, herbs, and grasses by Ruth Rogers Clausen ; photography by Alan L. Detrick — It can be extremely frustrating to plant something new in your garden, only to have it chomped away by deer. Lovely as these creatures may be, we want them to find snacks away from our gardens. This book has plenty of ideas for plants deer will find less appealing, and rates each plant on a scale of one to ten to show how resistant to deer it is.

Sew up a home makeover : 50 simple sewing projects to transform your space by Lexie Barnes — This book not only contains a wide variety of sewing projects, it also includes important information on how to plan for a makeover. It's easy to get inspired but forget to think about the function of the space or to plan a realistic budget, and those items and more are covered here. Home makeover projects often involve not only your sewing kit, but items from your tool bench, and this book makes it easy to plan for those needs. Included are ideas for children's rooms at various ages, a craft room, as well as many a la carte projects.

High-impact, low-carbon gardening : 1001 ways to garden sustainably by Alice Bowe — Most of the time when I choose plants for my garden, I go by what their blooms look like, what fruit (or veg) they will bear, and how they will complement the other plants in my garden. This book looks at it from another angle: will the plant improve my garden's ecological credentials? will it help manage water? Also included here are tips for choosing sustainable materials, eliminating perennial weeds, substituting more eco-friendly alternatives for classic favorite plants, and more.

Grow herbs by Jekka McVicar — This guide to herbs has info on a lot more than just growing them. It also includes some history, basic information about what herbs are, designing an herb garden, propagation and harvesting techniques, a list of 100 top herbs for use in the kitchen,  recipes and instructions for use in cooking and throughout the home (for cleaning, remedies, relaxation, and more).

Stitches : a memoir -- by David Small — I have the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of young adults at the Starkweather Alternative High School. The Canton Public Library in cooperation with Starkweather was awarded an ALA Great Stories Club Grant a couple years ago. The book club was such a success we decided to continue meeting.

The vegetable gardener's container bible : how to grow a bounty of food in pots, tubs, and other containers by Edward C. Smith — Do you like to grow in containers but haven't done much with vegetables before? Don't have a lot of space but still want a veggie garden? This book has lots of information about how to grow various vegetables in containers, including how to choose which plant to put in which pot, how to amend the soil for optimal veg growth and development, how to care for container gardens, managing pests and disease, what to do with your container veg gardens at the end of the season, and more.

A chicken in every yard : the Urban Farm Store's guide to chicken keeping by Robert and Hannah Litt — The title of this book refers to the idea not that every yard must have chickens, but that every yard could. You can raise chickens virtually anywhere, and this book shows just how to do it. The authors have included a wealth of information gleaned from their own experience, including choosing the right breed, building a coop, feeding, preventing and treating diseases, recipes to use your chickens' eggs and more. They also include an all-important section on working with neighbors, family, and authorities to make your chicken-raising experience successful and positive for everyone.

What kind of dog do you wish you had? How fast does a Corvette really go? What does the inside of the human body look like? If you have ever asked yourselves these questions and more, then you should definitely visit the J600-699 collection in the Children's Section. This is the nonfiction collection that is chock full of cats, cars, pets, cooking, gardening, health, body parts, and so much more. See you in the stacks!

Growing fruit trees : novel concepts and practices for successful care & management by edited by Jean-Marie Lespinasse and Évelyne Leterme ; illustrations by Jean- Marie Lespinasse ; Kitren Glozer, consultant for North America ; authors, Gilles Adgié ... [et al.] — This book includes information on growing fifteen types of fruit trees including stone fruits, seeded fruits, dry fruits, and others. Each type of tree, including apple, cherry, olive, peach, plum, and many others, is outlined in great detail, including history and origins, characteristics, its annual cycle, soil and climate limitations, how to choose and train a tree, and more.

Michigan's Harvest: Food, Farming & Community is taking place from September 24 to November 20, 2011 at the Albert L. Lorenzo Cultural Center at Macomb Community College. You'll find exhibits, presentations and activities on a variety of food topics including Michigan's agricultural heritage, modern methods of food production, and the local foods movement. Most events are free but require pre-registration.

Energy-wise landscape design : a new approach for your home and garden by Sue Reed ; illustrations by Kate Dana — Once upon a time, curb appeal was the driving force behind most residential landscape design, but the down economy and our increased awareness of environmental factors has changed our motivation. Now we can use the landscape to help shade the house from sun and cool the air and ground around the house, reduce the chilling effect of wind in winter, use water efficiently, and utilize a variety of technologies to generate energy. Whether you're planning a new landscape or revamping an existing one, this book has a wealth of information, tips, and ideas.

The edible front yard : the mow-less, grow-more plan for a beautiful, bountiful garden by Ivette Soler ; with photographs by Ann Summa — For most folks, space is at a premium, and so are our hard-earned dollars. To be able to take advantage of the front yard - an area that is usually just boring grass that doesn't get used for much - is a great way to save money and make the most of our property. And an edible front yard garden doesn't have to lack curb appeal! This book has an entire chapter devoted to that topic, as well as information throughout about how to keep your edible front yard aesthetically pleasing. This book has detailed information about all the issues and questions that could come along with an edible front yard.

The food lover's garden by Mark Diacono ; photography by Mark Diacono ; recipe photography by Laura Hynd ; recipe development by Debora Robertson — Did you know that you can eat daylilies and nasturtiums? Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed with produce from the garden but aren't sure how to prepare it? This book has a mix of growing information, tips and info about a variety of types of produce and recipes for how to use it all. Who wants to make some nasturtium risotto?

Terrarium craft : create 50 magical, miniature worlds by Amy Bryant Aiello & Kate Bryant ; photography by Kate Baldwin — Terrariums are simple to make but they can bring so much magic to a space. This book has fifty ideas for terrariums in four themes: forest, beach, desert, and fantasy. Making a terrarium can be as easy as following the instructions provided here, or taking inspiration and doing your own thing. It can be a fun family activity, or a meditational endeavor for a solo crafter.

As the Canton Public Library continues to deal with a declining budget, patrons are reminded the "magazine express" program has been discontinued.

The complete guide to greenhouses & garden projects : greenhouses, cold frames, compost bins, trellises, planting beds, potting benches & more by [created by the editors of Creative Publishing International in cooperation with Black & Decker] — Many gardeners, myself included, dream of having a backyard greenhouse, and this book shows you all you need to know to make it happen. From choosing the right type of greenhouse for your needs to choosing a location to the nitty gritty of building, heating, and irrigation, this book has it all. Also included are instructions for building a seed starter rack, a cold frame box, a raised bed, and several other projects.

Your farm in the city : an urban dweller's guide to growing food and raising livestock by Lisa Taylor, and the gardeners of Seattle Tilth — Whether you're building a raised bed in the back yard or undertaking a larger garden project, this book has great information about all the things you'll need to consider when gardening in the city (or suburbs). Since municipalities and homeowners associations often have rules that relate to outdoor structures and vegetation, it's important to plan ahead and this book can help you figure out what you'll need to do. It also provides great details on helping your soil be fertile, creative bed design for small or restricted spaces, working with pests that live in urban areas, and much more.