Motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic protocols, in August 2020, I embarked on what I believed at that time would be a relatively simple project.   My goal was to provide a more amenable outdoor seating area at a small public library branch by renovating its Reading Garden and landscaping outside the main entrance.  However, to justify the expense of purchasing plants, shrubs, and soil, my Manager challenged me to transform what had long been a volunteer activity into a Library program.  Of course, being an eager Library Science student and gardening enthusiast, I welcomed the opportunity. Little did I know that this project would consume my thoughts for several years to come.

This paper documents my experience in starting a gardening program for a small branch of a public library system.