Trouble in paradise: public gardens struggle to draw

Visitors at the spring flower show at Baltimore's Rawlings Conservatory

Photo credit: Kim Hairston

In the New York Times today, Judith Dobrzynski reports that public gardens have had to expand their menus to include food, cooking classes and fancy cocktails to attract visitors.

The reason? Although the country is fascinated by healthy eating, locally grown produce and home vegetable gardening, not enough people are interested in plain old flower gardening.

The irony? Her story was the most emailed story in the Times today.