Highlighting a different book each year and working with more than 50 partners, we have explored topics from conservation to innovation, from birding to weird plants.
About the Community Read
Launched in 2014, the Community Read was uniquely envisioned as a collaborative effort between the Gardens and community to encourage reading for pleasure and to start a conversation surrounding gardens, plants, or nature.
In 2021, the Community Read received the American Public Gardens Association’s Program Excellence Award, which recognizes original programs that display a truly innovative spirit.
Today, the Community Read features more than 50 partner organizations and has led to the donation of more than 10,000 books to area libraries. Each year, more than 200 events in the community explore the books and keep the conversation going.
Our Partners Put the Community in the Community Read
A partnership with the Community Read means engaging our region in the important conversations surrounding nature, plants, and gardens. Together, we can make an impact. To learn more about how your organization can get involved, email us at library@longwoodgardens.org.
Community Read 2024
Our 2024 selections include The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly, our first historical fiction Community Read book all about the meaning, beauty, and solace we can find in gardens. Our title for younger readers is a picture book adaptation of the classic novel The Secret Garden, which follows Mary Lennox as she moves into a confusing new home and finds comfort from exploring the surrounding grounds and gardens.