This six-week retreat for individuals and groups is intended to take place in the midst of daily life. The garden metaphor is carried through, pointing both to Jesus as the master gardener, the new Adam, and to our own desire for God to "grow" in our lives. Bernecker provides general guidelines for using the material, which is presented under six weekly headings: ground of my garden, planting seeds, tending the garden, pruning and appreciating, gathering fruits, and generous gifts. Each week follows a clearly stated theme, such as naming specific life details and increasing the ability to notice, appreciate, and simplify. The daily sessions, designed for about 30 minutes, include reflections, prayer, meditations, and keeping a journal.

This is an extremely useful retreat book in that it contains everything one would need, is adaptable to personal circumstances, offers a variety of prayer styles, and is not tied to any particular time of year, since some phase of the gardening process can be entered even as the snow falls.