To scholars and students of botany, botanical gardens serve as living libraries; and books related to botanical gardens take the metaphor one step further. This virtual exhibit, based upon a real exhibit in the Department of Special Collections, University of Wisconsin-Madison (November 1999-January 2000), highlights books on botanical gardens from the holdings of Special Collections. When the actual exhibit was installed, the weather outside was cold and gray, but the lush illustrations of botanical gardens and their contents served to remind us of growing seasons past and future.

Works included in this exhibit focus on gardens in Britain and on the Continent, and date mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries. Of course, the history of botanical gardens, especially for the 19th century, can readily be expanded to other European cities and to other continents as well. Jenifer Ihde selected items for the exhibit and undertook most of the research for the exhibit. Libbie Freed also lent valuable research assistance. Conversion of the actual exhibit to a virtual one has also been the work of Jenifer Ihde. We have, in this as other Web-based projects, profited much from the expertise of Steven Dast of the General Library System Digital Production Facility.