Ranging from the humorous to the poignant, these quotes from gardeners, poets, philosophers, and landscape designers highlight both the joys and challenges of gardening-the exhaustion at the end of a long day´s work, the satisfaction of seeing a flower blossom, the peace and happiness of time spent in quiet contemplation. A delightful hobby, a potent tool for ecological and social transformation, and a crucial reminder of our place in nature, gardening is, in the words of Mirabel Osler, the one occupation where "if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling..."