Mother Nature gifted us with abundant precipitation this year across Red Rock Country and the Verde Valley. In fact, Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, and mountaintops throughout the area were often blanketed in snow giving us quite the winter show. With such a wet season, and the impending snowmelt, hopes are high that wildflower blooms across the area will make for a beautiful encore. The colorful landscape we expect to see as you hike or drive this spring will be showcased in our lobby with the annual Library Wildflower Display.
This annual display is curated by library volunteer Linda Schermer and former Library Director Ginny Volkman with permission from Coconino National Forest. The expertise and dedication of these volunteers make this a renowned library program every spring. Whether you’re a casual flower observer or a master gardener, you will love this interactive display. Linda and Ginny provide identification information on dozens of local blooms and will ask for information on “mystery” flowers they find hoping you might share what you know.
From April 22 through May 4, the display will adorn our lobby—but you’ll want to visit more than once! The blooms are updated daily and will keep your floral curiosity piqued. The wildflower identification books were created by Phyllis Lindbergh and include photographs to help you hone your identification skills. Phyllis was a long-time contributor to the wildflower display, and at the entrance of the west Sedona library location there is a happy butterfly bush which was planted in her memory.
There are many other books that you can check out to help you on your quest to learn about Arizona wildflowers. We recommend “A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona,” by Ann Orth Epple. We have copies at both library locations.
Beyond this seasonal display, there are other garden displays worth a look. By the Silent Waterfall, located near the Circulation Desk, you’ll find native plants and cactuses. Outside the Quiet Study, there is a lovely atrium showcasing local fauna and flora. These gardens are also maintained by volunteers—many thanks to the Sedona Area Garden Club that works to keep these permanent gardens beautiful. Visit azgardenclubs.com for more information.
If you’re interested in further floral exploration, consider visiting the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix and the Arboretum in Flagstaff. Both destinations are included in the Culture Pass program. When you check out a Culture Pass, you receive free admission, for two, at participating arts and cultural institutions.
We share our world with plants and wildlife, so let’s remember to be respectful of the land we live on and leave no trace when we adventure out into nature. If you’re curious about the flowers you see in nature, or the ones on display, and want to learn more, visit the Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants database available on the library website.
This database was created by Master Gardener volunteers from the Yavapai County Arizona Cooperative Extension with the University of Arizona.
It holds photos and descriptions of native plants and was designed for amateur botanists. It includes illustrations of plants parts in the search screen, so you don’t have to know technical terms to find what you’re seeking.
If you haven’t come in lately, now is a great time to visit. Participate in our many programs from the Longevity Series to our Tuesday morning Tai Chi classes in the Commons.
Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and we’re celebrating Library Giving Day next week on April 24. Your gifts will be doubled dollar for dollar up to $30,000. Visit sedonalibrary.org/donate to learn more.
All gifts to the Library supplement the funding and support we receive from the City of Sedona, Coconino and Yavapai County property taxes, and Friends of the Sedona Library. Thank you.
As published by Red Rock News
Library News Column for April 19, 2024
Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Scheduling Coordinator