Mary Lennox, our protagonist, is a 10-year-old girl who lives in India. Daughter of a rich British couple, from a young age she was kept out of her parents' sight, for they did not wish to have a child. Mary is raised by an Ayah and the rest of the house servants, who spoil her, letting her do as she pleases so as not to upset her.
Tragedy interrupts the course of Mary's life: A cholera epidemic breaks out and, in a matter of days, ends with most of the inhabitants of the house dying, including her parents. As she has no other relatives, she will be sent to live with her uncle, Mr. Craven, in England.
Misselthwaite Manor is a big and mysterious country house, and the owner is seldom there. Years before, something terrible happened: Mrs. Craven had a fatal accident inside her favorite garden.
Ever since then, Mr. Craven has detested the house and has a special aversion towards that garden in particular. That is why he decides to close its doors forever and bury the key. This garden and the mystery that surrounds it will be the one thing that interests Mary about the property.
But, as she will soon discover, the garden is not the only secret Misselthwaite hides.
The descriptions of the garden were something I liked very much the first time I read the story because they made it sound truly magical. I also recall being fond of Dickon's first appearance, when he brought Mary the seeds, and they started working together to make the garden beautiful again.
The author is permanently associating gardening and outdoor activities with health and happiness. She also emphasizes it with Dickon's presence, as this character has a very special bond with nature.
