My Garden Visits

Gardening has become a popular way to unwind mentally and physically while communing spiritually with nature. For Matott, his relaxing time in the garden gained an added dimension when he began to be visited by the presence of his late, beloved mother. In 12 chapters, Matott relates the circumstances of his mother's visits, and each chapter is focused on a particular plant that has an association with his mother. For example, in one chapter he compares his mother's ability to thrive while overcoming adversity to the strong and hardy pansy, one of his mother's favorite flowers. In some visits, his mother simply wants to be with her son, and in others she communicates messages from God: care more for his loved ones and form a closer bond with his father. Although the visits eventually stopped, Matott believes they made him a better and more sensitive man. Matott's loving portrait of his mother, shaped by gardening lore and childhood memories, and accompanied by Victoria Kwasinski's beautiful watercolor illustrations, is full of charm and grace. (Mar.)