The novel is set in Stockton, California, a rural town just outside San Francisco, in the summer of 1957. Dave's parents have just separated, and he and his mother have moved back to Home Place, his mother's childhood home. When they first move to Home Place, the house and the grounds are in disrepair. But together Gene Tole, a horticulturist, and Dave turn the tangle of weeds into a garden and transform Home Place from its dilapidated state into a place of beauty. Much of the action centers around the garden, where plants grow and mature.

Larson uses the transformation of the setting as a metaphor for the changes that occur within Dave's inner self. He uses the symbolism of the garden to advance the theme of maturation and growth. Gene teaches Dave how to garden, how to help things grow, and how to nurture and care for them...