How to grow practically everything by Zia Allaway, Lia Leendertz — This hefty volume is truly chock full of ideas for gardening projects. From creating garden beds to container gardening to edibles to attracting wildlife, this book really covers a lot of ground (ha!). Beginners will find the introductory sections useful, while more seasoned gardeners will be able to jump in to the particular project that suits their interest.

The renowned Joe Gagnon, aka The Appliance Doctor, tells us how to spend our money wisely when purchasing large appliances, so we get the most bang for our hard-earned bucks. The doctor also shares when it is time to replace or repair an appliance, based on his years of expertise. We all know and love Joe Gagnon from radio and newspaper columns — now is your opportunity to meet and talk in person on Thursday, December 2 at 7:00PM in the Community Room. No registration needed.

Great gardens of America by Tim Richardson ; photographs by Andrea Jones — From New York to California, Ohio to Florida, this beautiful book features full-color photographs of gardens all over the United States and Canada. The gardens range from formal to meadow to whimsical, and you'll not only get ideas for your own garden, but perhaps even ideas of places you'd like to visit.

I am an excellent armchair decorator. This does not mean that I like to decorate armchairs. No, I like to sit in my cozy chair, poring over lovely oversized books on interior decorating, and fantsize over the house I might someday have. And this month's bumper crop of design books offers plenty to dream about.

Alexa Hampton: the language of interior design by Alexa Hampton

Timeless elegance: the houses of David Easton by David Easton with Annette Tapert

A virtual cornucopia of foods and other items for your Thanksgiving feast will be available to buy at Canton's Fall Harvest Market this Sunday, November 21, from 9:00AM to 2:00PM at the Cady-Boyer Barn, in Preservation Park at 500 N. Ridge Rd. (approx. 1/4 mile north of Cherry Hill Rd.). Nearly two dozen local Michigan farmers and vendors will offer market favorites, including: turkeys, pie pumpkins, farm eggs, apples, spices, cider, natural meats, stuffing, artisan breads, salad greens, winter squash, sausage, pasta, honey, pies and other baked goods, pierogi, flower arrangements, dog treats and much more. Some vendors are taking pre-orders for your convenience.

Romantic gardens : nature, art, and landscape design by Elizabeth Barlow Rogers, Elizabeth S. Eustis, John Bidwell — Gardening season is winding down here, but we can always go to a book like this to tide us over. The authors focus on gardens of all types in the Romantic period and include drawings, paintings, and hand-drawn landscape plans of the era. Art lovers and history buffs will enjoy this just as much as gardeners.

Jeffrey Bilhuber's design basics: expert solutions for designing the house of your dreams by Jeffrey Bilhuber with Annette Tapert; foreword by Anna Wintour

Interior inspirations by Roger Banks-Pye; Colefax and Fowler; photography by James Merrell

Decorating details: projects and ideas for a more comfortable, more beautiful home: the best of Martha Stewart living by Stewart, Martha

Do you believe you can make a difference and help change the world?

Stephen Forrest will talk about his experiences with his "off-the-grid" house in Vermont. Forrest is Vice President of Research at the University of Michigan as well as a Professor of Engineering, Computer Science, and Physics.

Dr. Forrest will speak at the Hatcher Library Gallery at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor on Tuesday, October 26, from 5:30-7:00PM.

The nonstop garden : a step-by-step guide to smart plant choices and four-season landscapes by Stephanie Cohen & Jennifer Benner — We would all love for our gardens to be bursting with color and interest all year long, but it takes a little planning to achieve. Cohen and Benner offer a number of strategies for designing a year-round garden and have included ten design plans for those just starting as well as loads of suggestions for trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and more.

Guide to Michigan vegetable gardening by James A. Fizzell

This is the ultimate guide to veg gardening in Michigan and includes just about everything you could ever want to know about growing your own food here in MI. In addition to full sections on virtually all the vegetables you might want to grow, this book also includes up-to-date county extension information, a hardiness zone (we're 6a here in Canton) map, and freeze. frost and precipitation details. Definitely recommended for local gardeners at all levels of experience.

Incredible edibles : 43 fun things to grow in the city by Sonia Day ; photography Barrie Murdock

If you're looking for a few good edibles to grow, this book is a great place to start. Even if you only have a patio, balcony, or other limited area, almost all of these 43 plants are doable. These edibles are also versatile ingredients for a home cook, and are for the most part quite easy to grow. Large, crisp photographs make this book a winner.

Starter vegetable gardens : 24 no-fail plans for small organic gardens by Barbara Pleasant ; photography by John Gruen

For experienced or beginner gardeners, this book has a wealth of resources for planning your veggie patch. As advertised in the title, there are 24 garden plans, but there is also a ton of really useful information about many of the plants you may want to grow. For instance, did you know that mulching your potato plants with straw can help deter Colorado Potato Beetles? See page 116 for more on that, and don't miss all the other great info included in this book.

Quilting group meets on the first Wednesday night of each month from 7:00-8:45PM in the Community Room. Bring your quilts to show and ideas to share with the other quilters. The library has a large collection of books on quilting. Browse through our collection and enjoy your evening.

My fave pet books and what I can't wait to read

Marley and me : life and love with the world's worst dog by John Grogan

Dewey : the small-town library cat who touched the world by Vicki Myron ; with Bret Witter

Homer's odyssey : a fearless feline tale, or how I learned about love and life with a blind wonder cat by Gwen Cooper

My name is Anne Heidemann. I am an amateur gardener who has been growing vegetables, herbs, and perennials for about 3 years. I don't have any formal training but have gained most of my knowledge from gardening books found at the Canton Public Library — along with advice given to me by fellow enthusiasts. There are also many green thumbs in my family who have shared their experiences with me.

Meet Anne and ask her your questions as part of our Living Books program. To learn more, drop by our Meet & Greet on Saturday, September 25, from 1:00-3:00PM.

Herb gardening for the Midwest by Debra Knapke, Laura Peters — Interested in growing herbs? This guide includes all you need to know about the herbs that thrive in this region and includes herbs of ornamental interest and of practical use. Details for each herb or plant include features, growing instructions, tips for best results, recommended varieties, harvesting and processing instructions, and uses. Everything is easy to understand and the color photographs are extremely helpful, especially for gardeners who have aesthetics in mind.

Young readers can turn to click magazine as a great alternative to clicking on the T.V. "Click," the mouse, is your narrator throughout the picture-filled pages. This fun science magazine offers stories, comics, interviews, and creative activities to encourage young curious minds. It is available in the children's department. So stretch your mind and click on something new today.

The Gossler guide to the best hardy shrubs : more than 350 expert choices for your garden by Roger, Eric, and Marjory Gossler ; foreword by John E. Elsley

Shrubs are one of the easiest additions you can make to your landscape and this guide offers a wealth of choices to fit just about any environment. Many shrubs require little to no maintenance and for those whose thumbs are less than green, this book even includes a chapter entitled, "How Not to Kill Your Plants." Filled with beautiful, full-color photographs, you can see the look of these shrubs and in many cases, how they can be used for lovely effect within a landscape.

Edible gardening for the Midwest: vegetables, herbs, fruits & seeds by Colleen Vanderlinden and Alison Beck
This guide will be useful for both beginning and experienced gardeners. It has an introductory section on starting your garden, and then concise, detailed information about the most commonly grown vegetables, herbs, fruits, and seeds found in Midwestern gardens. You should also check out Vanderlinden's blog In the Garden Online, or any of her extremely useful articles at organicgardening.about.com. She's a Michigan gardener with lots of great insights and a terrific sense of humor.

Come for a stroll at Canton’s 1^st annual Sound Garden event. It will be taking place at the Lower Rouge Recreation Trail on Thursday, August 12 from 6:30-8:30PM. Light refreshments will be available and live music is going to be stationed along the trail for your enjoyment.