With a grand opening Saturday, Presque Isle’s Turner Memorial Library is welcoming a new children’s literary garden inspired by the works of author Beatrix Potter.
Saturday Aug. 19, from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m., the library is welcoming children and families to explore the new literary garden and the stories of Potter, best known for creating the character Peter Rabbit in her series of children’s books.
There will be live guitar and violin music, and youth services librarian Rich Asam will be dressed up as Mr. McGregor, the elderly character who tries to keep critters out of his garden.
Potter, who died in 1943, was an author and natural scientist whose books have been read by generations of children, said Jack Shaw, a staff member of the library.
Shaw helped spearhead the garden project, garnering a $5,000 grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, and she said that Beatrix Potter’s works were a good fit for the mission of the children’s garden.
“She observed nature, she did pictures of animals and then she made up stories about them for the children in her life,” Shaw said. “Most of them are really sweet stories. They’re funny stories. Some are about learning a lesson to do the right thing.”
Shaw said she is hoping the garden will help introduce new generations of children to Potter’s works. Later this month, the library is also getting a new set of Potter’s 23 stories.
“Peter Rabbit was a classic. Almost everybody read about him and all his friends,” Shaw said “But there are so many books out there to choose from, a lot of children aren’t as familiar with Beatrix Potter stories as they once were.”
The garden is located next to the library’s north side, next to State Street, and will have something to interest youngsters throughout the spring, summer and fall, Shaw said.
There are numerous herbs and perennial flowers, including phloxes, goatsbeard and day lilies — all of which appear in Potter books — and statues representing characters from the stories, such as Tom Kitten, Mr. Todd the Fox and Peter Rabbit.
The garden also features several raised beds that, starting next spring, children can grow vegetables in.
“Part of writing the grant was showing how it’s going to serve the community,” Shaw said. “Even though we are an agricultural community, so few children actually have a chance to plant anything, watch it grow and harvest it. This was an opportunity to address that need.”
