Melons for the Passionate Grower

In the same way that passionate gardeners rescued heirloom tomatoes and roses from oblivion and brought back old varieties full of character, flavor, and fragrance, so Amy Goldman has made it her life's work to bring back the amazing heirloom melon. Melons long and swiggly, mottled or striped; melons in every conceivable hue; melons that taste like cucumbers or pineapples, melons sweeter than any you've ever tasted. And you can grow them too.

Here are a hundred melons, each photographed exquisitely by Victor Schrager, and each with a story. Also included are directions on how to grow, propagate, and harvest them, sources for seeds, and how to become, like Amy Goldman, a seed saver and do something important toward preserving our agricultural heritage.

Town & Country

Filled with fascinating historical facts, practical growing and buying information and, of course, those glorious photographs, Goldman's book has made melons my own new obsession.

Amy Goldman works to preserve the agricultural heritage and genetic diversity of the world's fruits and vegetables. Known to viewers of Martha Stewart Television and PBS, she has written for Garden Design and has been profiled in such publications as The New York Times and House & Garden. She is the author of Artisan's Melons for the Passionate Grower and The Compleat Squash. She lives in New York City and Rhinebeck, New York.

Victor Schrager's photography has been featured in exhibitions across the country. He is the photographer for Bird Hand Book (2001) and Artisan's Anatomy of a Dish (2002).