Part history lesson, part horticultural treatise, part visitors guide, Guide to the Gardens of South Carolina takes you on a tour of the Palmetto State’s breathtaking gardens. Dr. Lilly Pinkas explores the histories of the most magnificent plantation houses, antebellum mansions, and townhouses, where fragrant flowers burst forth in every color of the rainbow. Amid centuries-old live oaks, azaleas, camellias, magnolias, and crape myrtles mingle with evergreen boxwood hedges and native ferns. You’ll visit specialty gardens such as a 1670 experimental crop garden; biblical, swamp, purple, and Xeriscape gardens; herb gardens; topiary and sculpture gardens; and lusciously fragrant rose gardens. Other fascinating features include a butterfly house, a bamboo grove, a swan lake, a reconstructed settlers’ village, nature train rides, and small zoos that house animals native to specific areas in previous centuries. A full-color section featuring Dr. Joseph Pinkas’s gorgeous photographs of some of the gardens, as well as gentle illustrations by artist Frank Lohan, add to the charm and usefulness of this guide.