The Last Garden in England

by Julia Kelly

I read this book by default—the other books I ordered from the library hadn’t come in.  I’m glad I read it.  The story was told by/about three different people in different time periods:  Emma, the restorer of the garden owned by Sydney (granddaughter of Diana Symonds) and Andrew, in 2021; Venetia, the creator of the garden, in 1907; and Beth, the “land girl,” in 1944.  Also in Beth’s time are Mrs. Diana Symonds, the owner of the property where the garden was created, and Stella, Diana’s cook.  There are more characters which add to the story and carry it along.  Highbury House is the home where the gardens are being restored—quite a number of them, and Emma is trying to restore them to their original as closely as possible. 

Quote

    “‘Well, your nephew is not alone.  He has you,’ said Mrs. Symonds.
    “‘I don’t know if I’m enough,’ she [Stella] confessed.
    “‘None of us is.  I believe that Father Devlin would say that that’s why we meet so many people in our lives,’ said Mrs. Symonds”    p. 206  ¶6-8

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