If we get offended.....we say sorry that we did......eh! :) Good article by the way.... This post was edited by ians_gardener on Fri, Jul 5, 13 at 21:13

Seil is right. You may find once they're aware how nicely scented the roses are, they may being disappearing. it's a commonly complained of malady. You can't encourage people to smell and enjoy without expecting them not to pick. I'm surprised picking all of your flowers hasn't already been an issue for you. If you still want to find that sign, check any local craft malls or shows. Tole painted garden signs have been a staple of these kinds of shows and craft malls here for many years. My sister bought me several (not MY choice) years ago for the old garden, including, "My garden was at its peak last week. Sorry you missed it." and "Garden Tours, 5 cents." The latter raised alarm in the HOA, fearing I was "making money" in the community. Another good reason for not living with the idiocy of an HOA! Kim

So that you are not confused. The Great Smoky Mountains are NOT on the way from Asheville to Bristol. They are within 50 miles and maybe worth a look if you have plenty of time and don't mind the horrendous traffic(most visited park) and frequent ozone alerts. Asheville to Tri-Cities (Johnson City/Kingsport/Bristol) uses I-26. Someone must be thinking of I-40 which is about 50 miles further south and the way through the mountains to Knoxville. You did not mention that you might like to plant shop along the way. I could suggest a few interesting nurseries not far off I-26 if you are interested. In Asheville no one mentioned the North Carolina Botanical gardens, which is still on my list of places to visit. From what I can gather it specializes in colder climate plants such as conifers, rhododendrons and azaleas. Biltmore is a turn of the century estate built by the Vanderbilts with a castle like home and thousands of acres surrounding it. There are very formal gardens. It is a bit pricey as I recall ~$35-40 per person....but worth the day it will take to visit. If just beautiful scenery un-interrupted by billboards and fastfood is your thing, you might try hopping on the Blue Ridge Parkway near the N.C. Botanical garden and following the crest of the mountains up to Boone, NC. Boone is a charming little mountain town with a good variety of interesting cafes and restaurants. Probably the oldest is the Daniel Boone Inn downtown, with homestyle food served at large tables, multiple guests and large lazy susans in the tables. Boone also has a small but lovely gardens with mostly natives and spring blooming plants. The trip from Boone to Bristol is through beautiful mountains and over many ridges with some narrow and winding roads....not a road for high profile vehicles like campers or Rv's. If you choose to follow the Blue Ridge Parkway, you must definitely look at one of the several websites for conditions. Hurricane remnants two years ago wiped out sections of the road that will be very difficult and expensive to replace....as they hug narrow mountain dropoffs in places. When I was there last summer they had not all been completed making it difficult to get from point A to point B. Hopefully they'll be repaired by now. Even if they are not, they are well worth exploring even if you have to turn around and backtrack. There are lots of waterfalls; places where you can stop for 30 minute to 2 hour hikes; restored colonial farms and homes; clean air and so much silence that you hear the bees buzz; and wonderful wildflower and rhodendron blooms all along the way in mid spring and early summer.....a strong reminder of what we have done to so much of the rest of this country. Most of the places I mentioned have websites. Enjoy your visit.

See: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/working-and-playing-with-plants-helps-st-louisans-cope-with/article_2cf045a4-afca-50ec-9088-6f5a603bb5f6.html