Northeast Ohio Regional Library System

Sensory Garden Project at Hubbard Public Library

Hubbard Public Library celebrated the completion of the ‘re-imagination’ and ‘re-creation’ renovation project for its beautiful “Sensory Garden” last month (August 2025)!

Hubbard Public Library is well-known for its outdoor resources, “Beyond Library Walls—Bringing the Library Outdoors.” HPL has a long-term and serious commitment to building upon and expanding its outdoor resources to ensure that children and all individuals in this community and beyond have equitable and easy access to outdoor resources and activities designed to facilitate and encourage connections between children/'children of all ages' (i.e., all individuals, ages 0 to 100+) and nature. HPL's outdoor resources include, for example, a permanent StoryWalk®, outdoor musical instruments (three sunflower petal drums), a Sensory Path, and its incredible Sensory Garden. These outdoor resources address concerns related to 'nature-deficit' disorder, attention and focus disorders and much more, issues that are receiving increased study and research in recent years.

What is particularly impressive and remarkable about the HPL Sensory Garden is the fact that it was first created, implemented and opened in 2014, more than ten years ago! While Sensory Gardens are becoming more popular recently (which is a great happening), ten years ago they were quite rare in the U.S. The HPL Children's Librarian, Mary Anne Russo, who created and envisioned the garden is truly an innovator, forward-thinking individual and brilliant (the StoryWalk® and other outdoor resources mentioned above are also her visions, now in place).



Last year, after being well-loved and well-used for ten years, the Sensory Garden was in need of renovation. With the leadership again of Children’s Librarian Mary Anne Russo, and the Library Director, Lorena Stearns, the renovation began. Several features from the original garden have been updated, renovated and continue in the current garden; these include a waterfall, giant wind chimes, a wonderful piece of driftwood, a poetry post, and Pebble Harp. However, new features have been also incorporated; these include a Pollinators Garden, a Reading Nook, an awning (for shade, to increase the use of the Garden on very hot, sunny days), and other. Notably, butterflies, bees, birds and other non-human visitors, including chipmunks and squirrels, are already returning to the Garden, and even a few monarch caterpillars have been sighted! Clearly, the new plants are attracting new pollinators.

Here is a link to a brief video from the Garden, highlighting a bee and butterfly enjoying this new Pollinator Garden! In spite of the intense heat, the plants are thriving and already attracting attention.

--Submitted by Cynthia H.