The Lake Bluff Library Learning Garden was established in 2022 for the purpose of providing the community with hands-on, educational opportunities to engage with the process of growing food and caring for a garden. Located on the Library’s west lawn on Oak Avenue, the Learning Garden is the site of various hands-on learning and environmental Library programs. 

Lake Bluff Public Library is pleased to thank Davey Tree Expert Company for their sponsorship of the Learning Garden!

Raised Beds

The Learning Garden raised beds were built by River Valley Gardens, Inc. The wood for the raised beds was harvested locally and treated using a Japanese technique called Shou Sugi Ban. This process consists of charring the wood with fire, which makes the wood resistant to insects, rot, and warping. It is eco-friendly and a sustainable way to preserve our garden beds.

Gardens

Each year we map out our garden beds using a method called square foot gardening. This process allows us to maximize our gardening potential by only picking plants that will live sustainably in one square foot. This increases the amount of plants we have available and creates a biodiverse garden.  

Planting

The Library takes into consideration the way that the plants will interact, from companion relationships to sun access for growth. Plants need good companions to thrive, especially in square foot gardening. Certain plants grow rapidly, crowd others and take more than their fair share of water, sun and nutrients. Some plants invite pests that are especially challenging for nearby plants to fight off. Companion planting ensures that the plants surround each other will help support their plant community instead of hindering their growth.

This spring, the Library planted seedlings as part of our Garden Task Force program. Stop by and visit our Learning Garden to check out what our garden is growing this year.