"The social history of American cities would not be complete without a full account of the rise of community open spaces. Lawson does exactly this by providing a compelling and poetic account of the history and making of urban gardens. Combining solid scholarship with engaging images of the gardens and stories of their makers, this book sheds new light on the value of urban open space. More important, it explains why community gardens need to stand alongside city parks as permanent open spaces. Essential reading for community developers and landscape architects as well as anyone who ventures outside, enthusiasm and shovel in hand, to improve their local environment.—Mark Francis, author of Urban Open Space and Village Homes "The definitive history of the past hundred years of America's experience with community gardens. A labor of love by a garden activist, the book appears at a most appropriate time—today our city dwellers and suburbanites are retreating onto carpets of passive open space tended by homeowner associations and lawn care outfits. Lawson thoughtfully analyzes the weaknesses of community gardens when used as a response to social crises and, by contrast, investigates community gardens as an alternative to today's managed care of open space. Her history clearly presents a way of community living that we can elect if we choose her wisdom."—Sam Bass Warner, Jr, author of To Dwell Is to Garden "An important book about how the urban gardening movement is transforming our landscape and reconnecting us to the land."—Alice Waters, Owner, Chez Panisse

THE STORY: This is the poignant story of Mrs. Watts, an aging widow living with her son and daughter-in-law in a three-room flat in Houston, Texas. Fearing that her presence may be an imposition on others, and chafing under the watchful eye of her

"Dedicated to those individuals, living and dead, who with courage and with determination, endured hardships and brought about the progress that makes Bountiful a hometown of which to be proud." -- P. v.

A “beautiful collection of produce-forward recipes” (Heidi Swanson, author of Super Natural Every Day) that “will make you want to get into the kitchen immediately” (The Daily Meal, UK). Todd Porter and Diane Cu are photographers who publish the immensely popular food, gardening, and lifestyle blog White on Rice Couple. Inspired by their love of cooking, growing vegetables and over thirty-eight fruit trees in their suburban garden, Todd and Diane love sharing recipes that are fresh and seasonally simple. Their cookbook, Bountiful, offers one hundred seasonal, flavorful, and approachable recipes, ninety of which have not been posted to the blog, each featuring a vegetable or fruit as the star of the meal. Blueberry Frangipane Tarts, Wilted Mizuna Mustard Salad with Shrimp, Blood Orange Bars with a Brown Butter Crust, and Gin Cocktail with Pomegranate and Grapefruit are just a few examples of recipes that are inspired from their garden bounty. Peppered with personal stories from Todd’s childhood on a cattle ranch in Oregon and Diane’s journey from Vietnam to the United States, this cookbook shares the couples’ beautiful love story as well as their diverse recipes that reflects their love of fresh and healthy produce, seasonally ripe fruit, and sharing a home cooked meal with those you love. “For so many of us, our kitchens are inextricably linked to our gardens and nobody has captured this union better than Todd Porter and Diane Cu in their perfectly named new book Bountiful.” —Russ Parsons, food editor for the Los Angeles Times

Karen Mowery presents her version of the infa mous Bird of Paradise quilt top. Karen's version has been beautifully constructed to replicate the original quilt. The personal story of the original quilter remains a mystery, which Karen has attempted to unravel.