On Wednesday, January 18, the Library of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society will hold the first session of a monthly, gardens and gardening-themed book discussion group.

Called 'Telling Garden Tales', the group will meet from 10:30 a.m. until noon in the Board Room of the Education Building. Its purpose is to encourage participants to read the works of talented authors and to share their thoughts about the books with new friends. Founder Maureen Horn's hope is that, at future meetings, the group will discuss fiction and non-fiction books that are concerned with gardens, plants, and the land.

"Because of the interest in the literature of Eudora Welty generated by Jane Roy Brown's lecture on her book, One Writer's Garden, which studies how Welty reflected the care and love of her gardens in her short stories, it seemed fitting that we look at the stories themselves," Maureen says. "The book chosen to inaugurate the club series is The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty, which is available in all Minuteman Library Network public libraries, so there shouldn't be a problem in borrowing it."

Because the initial meeting is just two weeks away, the first assignment will focus on just one story, "A Curtain of Green". "But it may be hard to resist delving further into the book," Maureen says.

Jane Roy Brown notes in One Writer's Garden, was that Eudora Welty's favorite flower was the camellia, and attendees at the session will be put in the proper mood when they enter the Education Building, where camellias are blooming at the entrance.

A small donation to help pay for light refreshments will be appreciated. The discussion group will be limited to twelve participants. To sign up for this first session or to indicate your interest in subsequent meeting, please call or Mass Hort Librarian Maureen Horn at 617-933-4912 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .