When you think of a garden, what comes to your mind? Is it the vibrant colors of dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, and sunflowers? Or perhaps it's the luscious array of home grown vegetables just crying out to be harvested and cooked into something savory? Or, maybe it's the physical and spiritual cleansing that accompanies this sometimes arduous yet highly rewarding hobby...

Ask author Carolyn Rapp what she thinks about gardens and you will likely discover many new meanings behind this simple but paradoxically complex activity. Rapp, a seasoned storyteller and gardener herself, was "seized with a compelling urge to dig in the earth and grow things" when her son went away to college. Twelve years have since passed and Rapp has learned much more about gardening than she ever expected, from twelve unique women who not only opened the gates to their gardens -- but also to their lives.

Here are twelve inspiring stories from women who have built their lives around their gardens. From Sue's stone garden we learn how the physical nature of gardening helped her realize an innermost strength that helped her fight breast cancer. Through the lens of Michiko's camera we see ordinary vegetables transformed to images of passion and beauty. And, from Nancy, we learn how a garden can be a metaphor for marriage.

The stories from these twelve women not only provide tips and tricks for gardening but also dig down to a deeper more soulful layer -- a layer beyond what is visible in the dirt. As spiritually fulfilling as a beautiful bouquet or a colorful harvest of vegetables, these stories will resonate in the minds and hearts of all gardeners.