Unearthing The Secret Garden

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.