Unearthing the Secret Garden: The Plants and Places That Inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett - Hardcover

by Marta McDowell (Author)

"Affectionate and informative, Unearthing the Secret Garden is not unlike a garden itself, with its smooth lawns of prose and striking shows of illustration and photography." --The Wall Street Journal

"With a sprightly tone, infectious enthusiasm, and a professor's penchant for scholarly detail, McDowell brings keen insight and critical assessment to the life and works of this beloved author." --Booklist

The Secret Garden is one of the most beloved children's classics, and its author Frances Hodgson Burnett was not only a prolific writer but also a lover of flowers and gardens. In Unearthing The Secret Garden, Marta McDowell delves into Burnett's professional and gardening life. McDowell chronicles how Burnett's interest in gardens developed along with her work as a writer. Readers will learn about Burnett's three gardens in England, Long Island, and Bermuda. Gardeners will delight in the guide to plats featured in The Secret Garden and McDowell's transcriptions of three of Burnett's garden-themed short stories. Throughout, the delightful text is complimented by period illustrations and contemporary photographs.

This deeply moving and gift-worthy book is a must-read for fans of The Secret Garden and anyone who loves the story behind the story.

Back Jacket

The Secret Garden is indisputably one of the most beloved children's classics. Published in 1911, it has never been out of print, selling millions of copies worldwide. What many readers don't know, however, is that its author, Frances Hodgson Burnett, was one of the most popular and prolific writers of her time. Unsurprisingly, she was also a lover of flowers and gardens--but the path to her literary triumph was a long one, beset with personal tragedy and frequent illness.

In Unearthing The Secret Garden, best-selling author Marta McDowell starts by chronicling Burnett's childhood and early life, with a focus on her growing interest in gardens and her development as a writer. McDowell also shares details of the three gardens Burnett created in Kent, Long Island, and Bermuda. A guide to the plants featured in The Secret Garden will delight gardeners. And in a unique addition, McDowell transcribes the complete text of three of Burnett's garden-themed stories, which help to deepen our appreciation of Burnett's love and knowledge of gardening. McDowell complements her delightful text with period illustrations and contemporary photographs that bring Burnett's world vividly to life for the reader, and the book's stunning design makes it a joy to leaf through.

Just as The Secret Garden continues to enchant readers of all ages, so Unearthing The Secret Garden draws us into a richly textured account of the fascinating professional and gardening life that gave us one of literature's greatest treasures.

Author Biography

Marta McDowell's writing has appeared in The New York Times, Woman's Day, Country Gardening, and elsewhere. Her previous books include Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life, All the Presidents' Gardens, The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Emily Dickinson's Gardening Life, Unearthing The Secret Garden, and Gardening Can Be Murder. She consults for public gardens and private clients, writes and lectures on gardening topics, and teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, where she studied landscape design. She lives, writes, and gardens in Chatham, New Jersey.