The Librarian Who Loved Plants

Mrs. Roose was the librarian at Pine Valley Elementary School.
She loved the musty smell of the books on the shelves.
She loved helping children find just the right book.
She especially loved reading her favorite books to students.

Mrs. Roose also loved plants.
She loved plants with long leaves and fuzzy leaves.
She loved plants with big flowers and bright flowers.
She loved healthy plants and she loved to nurse sick plants back to health.

One day, Mrs. Roose thought, "I could bring some of my plants to school and put them in the library.
There are big, bright windows so the sun can shine on the plants.
There are wide wooden shelves to set the plants on.
Then I can enjoy my plants and my books together!

The first day, Mrs. Roose brought in a dozen bright geraniums.
The flowers were red, pink, lavendar, and white.
All the children and teachers admired the lovely plants in the library.
"This is wonderful!" smiled Mrs. Roose.

The second day, Mrs. Roose brought in two dozen pink flowering Christmas Cacti.
She hung the baskets in the windows and arranged them over the bookshelves.
All the children and teachers were amazed by the spreading greenery.
"This looks spectacular!" exclaimed Mrs. Roose.

The third day, Mrs. Roose brought in three dozen impatiens.
She tucked the delicate flowering plants amoung the geraniums and cacti.
All the children and teachers were astounded by the developing jungle.
"This is like heaven!" sighed Mrs. Roose.

The fourth day, Mrs. Roose brought in four dozen long, trailing ivys.
She put them on the shelves, on the window sills, the checkout desk and hung them in the windows.
All the children and teachers could not get into the library because there were too many plants.
"This is a problem!" frowned Mrs. Roose.

Mrs. Roose went to ask the principal's advice.
"Well," said Mrs. Healer, the principal, "We all like having some plants in the library.
They make it look beautiful. But maybe there are too many plants in the library now."
"Hmmmm." thought Mrs. Roose. "I have an idea."

That night after all the children and teachers went home, Mrs. Roose was busy.
She moved plants here, and she moved plants there.
She dug holes, and she hung baskets.
"That is much better!" smiled Mrs. Roose.

The fifth day, Mrs. Roose arrived at school bright and early.
All the children and teachers were amazed at how their school looked.
There were geraniums and impatiens in the front flower beds.
There were ivys hanging in the main hall.
There was a pink Christmas cactus in each classroom.

And there was one red geranium in the library.
"This is perfect!" said Mrs. Roose.

All the children and teachers loved having plants throughout the school.
The plants made the whole school look beautiful.
"Thank you, Mrs. Roose, for making our whole school into a garden," laughed Mrs. Healer.
"This IS perfect!"