This book is filled with an energy which will inspire young and old alike to dig in the garden. It is a simple story of intergenerational love, hard work and the satisfaction felt from putting your heart into a garden project.

Two small animals learn the elements necessary for a garden: soil, seed, water, sun, time and love- The toughest lesson of all for them to learn is patience! The illustrations remind us of the beauties of a summer garden and interspersed throughout are child friendly directions on gardening. Both readers and listeners of all ages can feel the fulfillment of a mature garden and harvest time.

People have long said that Great Smoky Mountains National Park could just as easily have been named Wildflower National Park. Some 1,600 varieties of flowering plants grace the Smokies, including spectacular species like Turk's cap lily, Vasey's trilium, columbine, gaywings, passionflower, lady's slippers, bluets, and Dutchman's britches.

The expanded Second Edition of Wildflowers of the Smokies boasts 31 new pages of wildflowers by Carol Ann McCormick, Assistant Curator of the UNC Herbarium, including uncommon but flamboyant species such as Carolina ruellia, monkey flower, willow amsonia, pale meadow beauty, and false dragonhead.

The 1996 pocket-sized first edition of Wildflowers of the Smokies was an instant hit, winning a first prize in natural history writing from the National Park Service. Publisher Great Smoky Mountains Association has upgraded many of the photographs in the second edition to offer more realistic reproductions. The 240-page, full-color guide is available at the Garden's Gift Shop - the price is $12.80; $11.50 members, tax included (add $5/book if you order by mail. Inquire at

Dr. White and his co-authors receive no royalties for sales-these directly support education and research in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you buy the book at the Garden, 50% of the sales price goes to the Garden!

This book is meant to be used as a field guide with all the expected data. However, it is so interesting and easily readable you won't limit your time with it just to field trips. In addition to the botanical portion, there is a portion written in conversational style which nicely rounds out the book, making it so much more than simply a reference. Printed on high quality paper and with a flexible binding, this book handles nicely - it feels good in your hands.

This illustrated publication includes some very helpful information concerning more than 50 invasives, herbaceous plants, shrubs, trees and vines. Each is illustrated and described as to origin, ecological threat, biology, prevention and control. Most importantly, several native alternatives are described and pictured. This latter is especially helpful to the gardener or homeowner who wishes to replace an invasive exotic with a suitable native plant. For example six plants - spicebush, northern bayberry, arrowwood, blackhaw, gray dogwood and winterberry are suggested as substitutes for the aggressive autumn olive. Garlic mustard unfortunately is thriving in many of our wooded areas where it is fast displacing the native wildflowers. As replacements the authors suggest Canada ginger, foam flower, creeping phlox, lady fern, evergreen wood fern and/or New York fern.