A Literary Alphabet: G is for Garden

Literature and Gardens have bloomed alongside each other for centuries. In gardens, life is laid out plainly – things grow, things bloom, things die, life withers and wilts, flourishes and flowers amid sunshine, rain and storm. No wonder so many writers choose gardens as a source of inspiration, a fitting backdrop for the stuff of life. Here are four of my favourite garden novels…

Elizabeth and Her German Garden – Elizabeth Von Armin

‘Where the trees thicken into a wood, the fragrance of the wet earth and rotting leaves kicked up by the horses' hoofs fills my soul with delight. I particularly love that smell, -- it brings before me the entire benevolence of Nature, for ever working death and decay, so piteous in themselves, into the means of fresh life and glory, and sending up sweet odours as she works.’

A diary of a lady as she embarks upon a year of gardening. Here, the garden is Elizabeth’s sanctuary from the pressures of her life. Witty observations spring up like daffodils in this tapestry of sparkling prose. Save this for your Spring reading!

The Cement Garden – Ian McEwan

 ‘At the back of my mind I had a sense of us sitting about waiting for some terrible event, and then I would remember that it had already happened.’

A dark tale of four children left to their own devices when they become orphans. Weeds of lies, sexuality and jealousy tangle together to create this strange, uneasy story.

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis - Giorgio Bassani

‘Even in a city as small as Ferrara, you can manage, if you like, to disappear for years and years, one from another, living side by side like the dead.’

Focusing on a group of Italian Jews during the rise of Mussolini, it tells the story of the narrator’s relationship with the wealthy Finzi-Continis. Sweet innocence is slowly corrupted by the rot of fascism.

The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett

‘And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.’

A childhood classic. Mary, a misunderstood and lonely girl, finds solace and rejuvenation within the walls of a secret garden. Evocative descriptions leave you wanting to escape down the garden path with her.

Do you have any favourite books about gardens? Leave a comment below…