Ruth Imogen Stout (June 14, 1884 – August 22, 1980) was an American author best known for her "No-Work" gardening books and techniques.

[1]: 2, 35  Her younger brother Rex Stout, also an author, was famous for the Nero Wolfe detective stories.

[4] Stout moved to New York when she was 18 and was employed at various times as a baby nurse, a bookkeeper, a secretary, a business manager, and a factory worker.

[8] Rossiter, a Columbia-trained psychologist, followed his passion for wood turning and subsequently became known for his wooden bowls.

[10] As the years progressed, Stout refined her techniques, eventually adopting a year-round mulch which virtually eliminated the labor associated with traditional gardening.

Her minimalist approach spawned a long-running series of articles in Organic Gardening and Farming magazine as well as several books.