By Imogen Dietz ‘27
Nestled in the lush flora of Cornell Botanic Gardens, an unexpected literary treasure awaits visitors. A charming Little Free Library, small and wooden, painted a soothing sage green, has found its home among ferns and hostas in the tranquil Shady Groundcover Collection.
This unique book-sharing box, inspired in spring 2024 by Julia Nagel ’24 , a member of the Learning by Leading Garden Ambassador Team, has quickly become a beloved feature of the gardens. Its simple design and earthy color palette blend harmoniously with the surrounding foliage, while inside, a variety of garden-related books invites readers to pause and explore.
The library’s contents change frequently, thanks to the “take a book, leave a book” philosophy. On any given day, you might find well-loved paperbacks about herbs or perennials, children’s books on nature, or academic texts devoted to horticulture. Visitors have learned how to create their own sustainable gardens and lawns from the books provided. All are donated by caring faculty, staff, volunteers, and community members, with garden enthusiasts particularly drawn to the selection of gardening guides and detailed accounts of different gardens that often grace the library.
This Little Free Library represents its own part of the breadth of knowledge Cornell Botanic Gardens has to offer. It exemplifies how communities like ours can share wisdom, passing books from hand to hand. Ultimately, it proves that sometimes, the most unexpected combinations—like literature and horticulture—can create something truly magical.
Imogen Dietz is a Cornell Student and Garden Ambassador co-lead, part of the Learning by Leading program at Cornell.