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Carol Wall, living in a lily-white neighborhood in Middle America, is at a crossroads in her life. Her children are grown; she has successfully overcome illness; her beloved parents are getting older. One day she notices a dark-skinned African man tending her neighbor’s yard. His name is Giles Owita. He bags groceries at the supermarket. He comes from Kenya. And he’s very good at gardening.
Before long Giles is transforming not only Carol’s yard, but her life. Though they are seemingly quite different, a caring bond grows between them. But Carol and Giles both hold long-buried secrets that, when revealed, will cement their friendship forever.
Carol Wall (1951-2014): A graduate of Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt University, Carol taught high school English in both public and private schools in Tennessee and Virginia. Her articles and essays centering on family life were popular features in publications such as Southern Living Magazine and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than twenty years. She lived in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and died of complications of breast cancer on December 14, 2014, just nine months after her first book was published to critical acclaim. She is survived by her husband, three grown children, three beautiful granddaughters, and two grandsons. In accordance with her wishes, her family has carried on the message of her book, speaking to readers and groups across the country.
