Our sentimental garden

In Short

This book is a reflective, meditative chronicle of a couple’s gardening life at their hillside cottage, "Villino Loki." Part memoir and part horticultural diary, it weaves together the practical trials of planting roses and clearing brush with personal anecdotes of travel, childhood, and the social quirks of their neighbors. It has lasted because of its evocative, sensory prose and its universal appreciation for the passage of time. It captures the bittersweet truth that while a gardener’s work is transitory, the joy derived from cultivating beauty is profound and permanent.

The Story

The narrative begins with the couple’s decision to abandon the tedious, temporary nature of rented houses in favor of establishing their own permanent home. They discover a rugged, wild site on a hillside, rich with oaks, larches, and heather, which they christen "Villino Loki." The early chapters detail the monumental labor of the "Great Clearance," where they tame the encroaching brush, heather, and gorse to establish order and grass. As they carve out terraces and borders, the garden becomes an extension of their own inner lives.

The story progresses through the cyclical nature of the seasons. The authors share their successes and failures—from the triumphant growth of Weeping Standards to the frustration of misaligned blooming schedules. They describe the landscape not just as a static plot, but as a space that hosts their memories and reflections on the past. As they work the earth, they frequently digress into tales of their travels, particularly to Italy and Ireland, and revisit their childhoods in Paris. These recollections provide a necessary contrast to the quiet life of their garden, highlighting the tension between the stillness of the countryside and the broader, often tumultuous, world outside.

As the narrative unfolds, the garden evolves into a place of sanctuary, but also one of profound reflection. They grapple with the presence of ghosts in old houses and the moral complexities of the world, such as their intense opposition to animal experimentation. They also touch upon the transient nature of ownership, noting how even the most beloved estate eventually passes to new hands.

The arc concludes with the return of summer, mirroring the beginning of the book. The garden is once again at its peak, and the couple contemplates the cycle of growth and decay. They acknowledge that their time in the garden is merely a brief "eye-blink" in the larger rhythm of nature. The book ends on a note of acceptance: they understand that while the garden will eventually bloom for others, the act of tending to it has enriched their own lives and souls, leaving them ready to watch for the return of spring once more.

How It Unfolds

The quest for home The authors tire of the indignities of renting and decide to create a permanent retreat. They find a wild, hilly landscape that offers a sense of peace and potential for artistic expression.

The taming of the wild The couple undertakes the "Great Clearance," a systemic and arduous process of removing brush and heather. This labor transforms the hillside into a structured garden, allowing light and air to reach the soil.

The seasonal rhythm The narrative tracks the garden’s growth through the months, documenting the successes of specific roses and the occasional failures of planting plans. Each season brings new beauty and new responsibilities, binding the gardeners to the land.

Travels and digressions The couple recounts memories of their youth in Paris and later travels to Italian castles and Irish estates. These stories ground the garden in a wider human experience, contrasting the quiet of the country with vivid memories of city life.

The cycle of existence The final chapters reflect on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of change. The gardeners accept that their tenure at Villino Loki is temporary, finding solace in the cycle of nature that continues regardless of who holds the title.

The People

The book is centered on the "Master and Mistress of the House," a couple who approach their gardening with equal parts impetuous passion and deep reverence for the land. The Mistress, self-described as a "foolish and impetuous person," drives the aesthetic vision, often learning from her own trial-and-error approach to planting. The Master provides the physical labor and a dry, often humorous, perspective on their environment, particularly regarding the maintenance of the garden’s structure.

They are joined in spirit by their "grandchildren" and pets, whose innocent presence highlights the couple’s desire to create a "paradise" for the next generation. Their neighbors, such as the two maiden ladies "Tweedle-Ann and Tweedle-Liza," provide a sense of local community and gentle humor. These characters represent the different ways people inhabit the countryside, from the eccentric to the traditional. Through their interactions, the couple explores their own values—the importance of kindness to animals, a disdain for modern commercialism, and a deep, traditional respect for the landscape they steward.

In Its Own Voice

When the Furze and Broom are all guinea-gold on the moor, the young Bracken begins to creep in green patches that are pure joy.

This opening description captures the sensory richness the authors find in the natural landscape surrounding their home.

And in a little while again it will be the Winter and the snow and we shall be watching for the Spring.

This passage reflects the couple's resigned, yet hopeful, recognition of the inexorable cycle of the seasons.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book explores the concept of stewardship. The authors argue that a garden is not merely a collection of plants, but a living record of the gardener’s soul and their efforts to create order from chaos. It addresses the tension between the desire for permanence and the reality of transience. By linking their horticultural efforts to memories of distant places and past lives, they suggest that gardening is an act of defiance against the passage of time. The book posits that beauty, even when fleeting, is a necessary component of a meaningful life, and that our relationship with the earth is a fundamental, spiritual anchor.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate quiet, observant, and slightly melancholic nature writing will find this book deeply rewarding. It feels like a long, leisurely conversation with a friend who is as obsessed with their rose borders as they are with the history of the land. The prose is elegant and precise, carrying the warmth of a bygone era.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the authors' specific, period-bound social attitudes, which occasionally surface in their critiques of modern life and political figures. There is also a distinct, almost aristocratic, view of country living that reflects the social hierarchies of the early 20th century. If you can move past these dated perspectives, you will find a book that rewards you with its rhythmic, seasonal pacing and its genuine, unhurried love for the natural world. It is the perfect companion for a rainy afternoon, encouraging you to look at your own surroundings with a softer, more appreciative eye. It stays with you as a reminder that, while everything changes, the simple act of planting a seed remains a profound gesture of faith in the future.