Julie loves living in Paris, but wishes she could walk in a country garden, so when her mother takes her to visit a friend, she is happy to discover one of the most beautiful gardens she has ever seen, owned by Claude Monet.
The villagers get into jealous arguments about their plan to create a splendid garden for their emperor, but these are happily resolved when the emperor himself comes to visit.
Wanda mistakes a thornbush for a rosebush in the empty lot. She clears away the trash around it and cares for it every day, even though no roses bloom.
Rhyming verses and illustrations introduce the letters of the alphabet and describe how a garden is planned and planted, how things grow, and the joy a garden brings.