WASHINGTON—Enticing guides to America’s public gardens, where to go to watch wildlife, and the hidden treasures that are the nation’s state parks are the pick of 13 new publications from National Geographic Travel Books.

“Our spring line-up extends National Geographic’s tradition of bringing quality images, maps and information to the millions who love the American outdoors,” said Elizabeth L. Newhouse, director of travel publishing in the National Geographic Society’s book division.

National Geographic Guide to America’s Public Gardens (April 1998; $25 paperback) showcases 300 important and interesting gardens in the United States and Canada that are open to the public. New York editor and garden aficionado Mary Jenkins spent three years visiting gardens, consulting with experts and poring over botanical volumes. “For travelers in search of interesting gardens, gardeners seeking ideas, or those who simply want to appreciate beautiful gardens through great photography, there is no other book like this,” Jenkins said.

Another first-of-its-kind volume this spring is National Geographic’s Guide to Wildlife Watching (May 1998; $25 paperback). “From the swamplands of the Deep South...to the Arctic tundra...the United States offers magnificent wildlife-watching opportunities,” writes Glen Martin, author of the guide.

Environmental editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, Martin compiled not only the 100 best places in America to find wild creatures but also tips on how to spot even the most secretive of them in their natural surroundings. “America is still a paradise for wildlife and wildlife lovers,” Martin writes.

Complementing the wildlife book is National Geographic’s Guide to the State Parks of the United States (March 1998; paperback $24). From wild seascapes to mountain retreats, more than 200 parks spanning all 50 states are covered in words, maps and pictures in this first full-color state parks guide. Scenery, recreational offerings and cultural and historic sites are among the many state park features portrayed in the book.

Five titles are added this spring to the popular series National Geographic’s Driving Guides to America (March 1998; $14.95 paperback): California, Florida, New York, Pacific Northwest and Canada. Expert regional travel writers showcase and rate the best attractions of each region, featuring up to 25 road-tested, planned driving itineraries. In the New York guide, for instance, itineraries range from “Hudson River Valley” to “Niagara Country” and include driving excursions in nearby New Jersey and Pennsylvania such as the “Philadelphia Freedom Trail.” The New York guide also includes four walking tours in the Big Apple.

Rounding off this spring’s collection are four new titles in the National Geographic Park Profiles (May 1998; $12.95 paperback) series: Blue Ridge Range, Canyon Country Parklands, Exploring Canada’s Spectacular National Parks and Our Inviting Eastern Parklands. Each one offers park maps, firsthand accounts and ideas of what to see and do.

National Geographic Guide to America’s Public Gardens

An unprecedented showcase of public gardens covering most regions of the United States and Canada. Editor and garden enthusiast Mary Jenkins spent three years visiting gardens, consulting with experts and poring over botanical volumes. She selected the 300 gardens based on range and importance of the plants; design; regional representation; and, ultimately, the spirit and character of each place. Many of the 250 images were shot for the book by specialty garden photographers.

Mary Jenkins, author. Travel/Garden. April 1998. 384 pages. 6 X 9. 250 full-color illustrations. 0-7922-7152-1. $25 paperback.

National Geographic’s Guide to Wildlife Watching

Notwithstanding the harmful impact of civilization, “America is still a paradise for wildlife and wildlife lovers,” writes author Glen Martin in the introduction to this guide. Environmental editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, Martin identifies the 100 best places in America to see animals in their natural habitats and offers tips on how to spot even the most secretive creatures. The guide divides the country into three broad regions with the wildlife sites arranged alphabetically within states. A field guide to 100 of the featured animals is included.

Glen Martin, author. Travel/Nature. April 1998. 352 pages. 5 1/4 X 8 7/16. 125 full-color photographs, 100 site maps, site-locator map. 0-7922-7130-0. $25 paperback.

National Geographic’s Guide to the State Parks of the United States

Easy-to-reach and abundant with beautiful scenery, wildlife and outdoor activities, America’s state parks attract 750 million visitors a year. Park directors in all 50 states recommended their best parks for this guide. The 200 state parks featured range from wild seascapes to mountain retreats and include some of America’s best-kept travel secrets. Color-coded chapters locate parks by region and state and are packed with information on driving routes, facilities, phone numbers, cultural and historic sites and best times to visit.

Travel/Nature. March 1998. 384 pages. 5 1/4 X 8 1/2. 250 full-color photographs, 32 color maps. 0-7922-7364-8. $24 paperback.

National Geographic’s Driving Guides to America: California, Florida, New York, Pacific Northwest, Canada

Five more colorful, entertaining guides join this popular series launched in 1997. Each guide is written by an expert regional travel writer. Planned driving itineraries loops of between 70 and 700 miles showcase and rate the best attractions of each region with color images, maps and useful information. “Must-see” sites are starred.

Travel. March 1998. 160 pages. 5 1/4 X 8 1/2. More than 125 full-color photographs, up to 25 driving itineraries, each with maps. California: 0-7922-7365-6; Canada: 0-7922-7366-4; Florida: 0-7922-7368-0; New York: 0-7922-7369-9; Pacific Northwest: 0-7922-7367-2. $14.95 paperback.

National Geographic Park Profiles: Blue Ridge Range, Exploring Canada’s Spectacular National Parks, Our Inviting Eastern Parklands, Canyon Country Parklands

Each of the four new titles in this series of park profiles offers firsthand accounts, maps and ideas for what to see and do. Blue Ridge Range includes the Shenandoah and the Great Smoky Mountains Park plus seven national forests. Canyon Country Parklands ventures from the Dinosaur National Monument and the Petrified Forest National Park to the Grand Canyon. Exploring Canada’s Spectacular National Parks travels from the Arctic’s Ivvavik National Park to the Rocky Mountain parks. Our Inviting Eastern Parklands begins in Maine’s Acadia National Park and moves south to Florida’s Everglades and the Virgin Islands.

Travel/Natural history. March 1998. 200 pages. 7 1/8 X 10 1/4. More than 100 full-color photographs plus maps. Blue Ridge Range: 0-7922-7352-4; Canyon Country Parklands: 0-7922- 7353-2; Exploring Canada’s Spectacular National Parks: 0-7922-7355-9; Our Inviting Eastern Parklands: 0-7922-7355-0. $12.95 paperback.

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April 15, 1998