Through conversations with twelve vastly different gardeners—among them a Trappist monk, a retired mailman, and an advertising copywriter—this enchanting volume captures the spirit of midwestern gardeners. Illustrated throughout it is the wholesale dedication of midwesterners to their gardens—despite drought, heat, disabilities, and other challenges. Anyone who delights in gardening, the Midwest, or human triumph will enjoy this book.
"…a thoughtful, waggish look at what it means to make something of an acre or two (or less)…The coauthors' respect for the gardeners is clear, and so is their quiet skill at revealing characters inside and out. They have chosen a society of peaceful zealots whose company we can only envy."—Publishers Weekly
"A classic piece of Americana."—Bob Thompson of Victory Garden
"No, I won't give it up. Imagine strawberries by the nineteenth of May. And in Iowa…Gardening is going to keep me going. If you sit down and do nothing, what are you going to end up with?"—Edith Cone, eighty-one-year-old gardener
