Amish Gardens of Lancaster County

A rare, intimate tour of more than 18 Amish vegetable gardens celebrates their eclectic mix of the utilitarian and decorative.

Kitchen gardens are a long-standing Amish tradition, characterized by their eclectic mix of vegetables, fruit, herbs, and colorful flowers. Planned by the women of the household, they are used not only to feed their families but as an artistic outlet.

This book explores the family gardens as a portrait of the women who design, tend, and harvest them. Color photographs of more than 18 gardens capture their trademark mix of orderliness and ornamentation: marigolds tucked among the melons, cockscombs with the cabbage, and a whimsically painted chair, iron gate, or old balustrade.

Included are 32 family recipes straight from the garden: hot-pepper jam, fried green tomatoes, sweet dill pickles, sauerkraut for a crowd, corn fritters, and creamed celery. Like the resourceful women who tend them, each garden has its own personality and beauty.