Spring is my favorite time of year! It is full of hope and anticipation for the warm days ahead. I challenge you to not smile when you see the spring flowers start peeking up from the cold winter soil. I chose some outdoor-themed books to inspire you to start your spring/summer planning.

“Beginner’s Guide to Garden Planning and Design: 50 Simple Gardening Ideas for Adding Style & Personality to Your Outdoor Space” (712 Yoest) takes you through many design features to elevate your outdoor space. The section on lighting gave me some interesting ideas for my patio.

I enjoyed paging through “The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden: Attract and Support Birds, bees, and Butterflies” (639.9 Tornio). The colorful flowers and wildlife they attract to your yard took me forward to spring. Especially interesting was the section on planning the particular kind of garden you want. I appreciated the simple illustrations that show the plants and their placement.

If you are interested in planting a garden that is drought-tolerant and low maintenance, check out the ideas in “Water-Smart Garden: Techniques and Strategies for Conserving, Capturing, and Efficiently Using Water in Today’s Climate…and Tomorrow’s” (631.7 Johnson).

“Peonies: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden” (635.9336 Eastoe) will soothe your mind just paging through all the beautiful pictures. It brings back memories of big vases of peonies on the table when I was growing up.

Are you looking for inspiration for something new to cook on your Blackstone? Look no further than “Blackstone Outdoor Gas Griddle Cookbook” (641.5784 Hampton). After looking at all the recipes from Appetizers to Sweets you will be wondering why you never thought of making that on the griddle. It even has a section of “Kid-Approved Dishes.”

Is a new patio area in your plans this year? “The Complete Guide to Patios: A DIY Guide to Building Patios, Walkways & Outdoor Steps” by Black + Decker (690.184 Complet) will guide you through all the steps to make your new patio a reality.

We have many books on these subjects. Stop in and browse; you might find something unexpected.

New Ulm Public Library is located at 17 North Broadway and is open from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Mon.-Thurs. and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Fri.-Sat.