I usually don’t love a memoir but I picked this one up in my attempt to read some different voices and life experiences and I figured I’d enjoy it because I love growing things. It was stupendous! I’ve never read a story with a garden map in the front and it made my little fantasy loving heart so happy to see that. I say “story” just like it’s used in the title because there really is a story being told here. Alongside the beautiful and intimate observations of the land and history is the real experience of a Black woman, a mother, in pandemic era america and she so artfully brings both her mind and her garden alive in these pages. It was a beautiful and at times challenging read but I enjoyed it. The values she shares through her storytelling are aligned with my own yet she offered historical context and personal impact to them that has broadened my own understanding. I read a library copy but I look forward to getting my own copy so I can underline the shit out of it.