White Acre

White Acre is the estate in Philadelphia that Henry Whittaker builds soon after his arrival. The home and its grounds are lavish because Henry wants the world to know how rich he truly is. When volcanic eruptions leave most of the world in a dusty fog, Henry buys up the properties of his neighbors in order to increase the size of White Acre. Alma lives on White Acre from her birth until her fifties, never leaving longer than her short trips to visit Retta in New Jersey.

Kew

Kew is a botanical garden just outside of London. Henry’s father is an orchard man at Kew. Henry, too, works at Kew under Sir Banks until he is caught stealing the exotic cuttings Banks has brought, or been given, from around the world to sell to Banks’ enemies. Henry spends most of his adult life trying to outdo...