Bound Book/eBook

Pettis, S.*¹,
¹ Horticulture Agent, Henderson County, Hendersonville, NC, 28792

Historic Flat Rock Inc. (HFR) is pleased to announce that its first-ever book, Gardening Tips from Well-Seasoned Gardeners.

HFR enlisted the help of 38 professionals, Master Gardeners, and other plant enthusiasts. Three are nationally recognized plantsmen, 11 hold important positions at popular Western North Carolina garden shops, and 14 are HFR members. We are deeply grateful to each and every one of them. The tips were vetted by Steve Pettis, NC State Horticulture Agent, Henderson County. Two generous volunteer artists created sketches for the book. This truly is a “homegrown” publication.

Gardening-tips books are rare. Even more rare (if not unique) is one with a focus on Western North Carolina.

The book is 129 pages in length. There is quite literally something for everyone including tips about: design, preparation and maintenance, houseplants and indoor arrangements, herbs and vegetables, native plants, container gardening, favorite plants, and birds, bees and butterflies (including 10 pages about monarch butterflies and other pollinators from contributor Kim Bailey, one of the few recognized monarch experts in the southeast).

Because we are HFR, there are liberal doses of history: the introduction from HFR President Victoria Flanagan, an herbal lesson from a colonial-period culinary and medicinal herb gardener, and contributions from two gardeners intimately associated with Carl Sandburg properties—The Carl Sandburg National Historic Site in Flat Rock and the Carl Sandburg Birthplace in Galesburg, Illinois.

The sale of each book supports HFR’s mission To Protect, Preserve and Promote the Historic and Cultural Heritage of Flat Rock, NC.