The Walled Garden lovingly tells us the beautiful story of English gardener and poetess Elizabeth Blackspear. This woman is the subject of modern day Lucy’s dissertation. Lucy is intrigued by her for several reasons. Her grandmother was a friend of Elizabeth and they wrote letters back and forth using the language of flowers as a way to communicate secret messages. Lucy arrives in England to pour over the archives of Elizabeth’s life and analyze her famous walled garden to help bring meaning to her poetry and understand her life. In the meantime, she finds a little meaning in her own life.
I love historical fiction that explores a finite, unique piece of history. I’m a bit of a poetry novice but I love the idea of the symbology of flowers for various emotions. Elizabeth is such a complex character who pours out her thoughts and feelings on the world through her floral choices. There is much to uncover in her writing and her untimely death. I enjoyed her story much more than Lucy’s. I wasn’t enamored with Lucy’s love story but I get how it was necessary to bring the story to a proper close. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Booksparks for this gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
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