Fat, frumpy, forty-year-old Emma Porter, dumped by her longtime lover, is embarking on a driving tour of England's glorious gardens. Her travels lead her to Penford Hall, where she soon realizes that overgrown flowerbeds aren't the only things amiss. Guided by Aunt Dimity's unseen hand, Emma comes back to life as she discovers the secrets of Penford Hall and the unexpected bloom of new romance.