When an orphan named Mary is left to search a mediaeval mansion , she light upon a mysterious walled garden that has been locked for over a decennium . With the assistance of a robin and a good - natured Yorkshire boy , she uncover why the garden has been locked aside , and how to bring it — and herself — back to life . Here ’s more on Frances Hodgson Burnett ’s classic children ’s bookThe unavowed Garden .
1. THE SETTING WAS INSPIRED BY A REAL GARDEN.
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In 1898,Burnett take Great Maytham Hall in Kent , a Downton Abbey - style manor house with a walled kitchen garden . When Burnett moved in , the common ivy on the walls was so overgrown that she could n’t find the door to the garden . Finally , like Mary inThe Secret Garden , a Turdus migratorius sitting on a nearby branch showed her where it was . After that , Burnett threw herself into fixing up the pretermit grounds , planting flower gardens , set in rose President George W. Bush , and better the view . ShewroteIn Connection with the DeWilloughby Claimin the gazebo . Henry James was a neighbor .
Then , in 1908 , the hall was sold and Burnett move back to America . While there , her dear English garden came back to her . Both it , and the robin , inspiredThe Secret Garden .
2. THE ORIGINAL TITLE WASMISTRESS MARY.
Mary ’s name comes from the English nursery rhyme :
At the beginning of the book , Mary is an unlikable part , described as despicable , spoiled , and rude . The other minor chant this nursery verse at her and call her “ Mistress Mary Quite Contrary . ” Burnett usedMistress Maryas a working championship for the book but finally settled onThe Secret Gardeninstead .
3.THE SECRET GARDENIS INFLUENCED BY CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
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Burnett admired Mary Baker Eddy ’s Christian Science teaching , which let in the rejection of medicine in party favor of prayer and positive thinking . These beliefsmake their wayintoThe Secret Gardenthrough the character Colin , a sickly boy locked aside in the mansion . It ’s evenbeen proposed thatthe novel can be read " as a feminist , Christian Science revision of … rest cure , " which was a popular treatment involving " bed rest , societal isolation , and force - eating . " The doctors in the book do Colin more harm than good with this method , and it ’s Mary ’s influence , as well as the influence of nature and secure thought , that make Colin walk again . " When Modern beautiful thoughts began to push out the old hideous ones , living start to come back to him , his blood ran healthily through his nervure and strength poured into him like a inundation , " the book reads . Colin also says he wants to study “ The Magic ” when he ’s older , which is ordinarily think tostand for Christian Science theology .
4. COLIN MAY HAVE BEEN BASED ON BURNETT’S DEAD SON.
In 1890 , Burnett ’s 16 - year - old son , Lionel , give way from tuberculosis , which devastated his female parent . Some biographer think Burnett based the young Colin on Lionel . The termination , where Colin walks again in front of his father , is think to be Burnett think her son restored to wellness . However , others disaccord with this interpretation . " Colin has nothing at all in common with the real Lionel , or with the idealized numb son , " the novelist A.S. Byattonce write . " The writer is tougher than the woman . ”
5.THE SECRET GARDENWAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FOR ADULTS.
In 1910,The underground Gardenappeared in nonparallel format inThe American Magazine , a issue aimed at adults . It was possibly the first children ’s level to appear in an grownup cartridge before derive out as a book , which may have caused confusion about whether or not it was intended for youngster . The Christian Bible was put out the next year in both England and America . ( As a side note , Charles Robinson ’s illustrations in the original British editiondepict Mary withdark fuzz . )
6. IT WAS ONE OF BURNETT’S LEAST POPULAR BOOKS.
Perhaps because of the left over way the book was published , The Secret Gardenwas overlooked in Burnett ’s lifetime . While it sold well and received ripe limited review , it did n’t equate in popularity to other works such asLittle Lord FauntleroyorThe Little Princess . In fact , when Burnett choke in 1924,The Secret Gardenwasn’t even cite in her obit . It was n’t until the 1940s , and the raise of erudition around children ’s literature , that people started callingThe surreptitious Gardena classic .
7. SOME HAVE CRITICIZEDTHE SECRET GARDENFOR COLONIALISM AND RACISM.
The Secret Gardenis not without controversy . Mary ’s parents are British coloniser , exist in luxury in India until they ’re killed by a Asiatic cholera epidemic . Mary also express racist attitude to the maid Martha . When Martha says she thought Mary would be black because she was from India , Mary explosion into tears and says , " You think I was a native ! … They are not multitude — they are servants who must salaam to you . " Because of this , The Secret Gardenisoftenlistedas an example of racist classic literature .
8. THE EXPIRED COPYRIGHT HAS LED TO MANY ADAPTATIONS.
The Secret Gardenentered the public domain of a function in 1987 , which has allowed for many version and adaptations of the story , including picture show , idiot box , musicals , play , coloring Christian Bible , anime , cookbooks , radio shows , andfree variant of the novel online . There ’s even a YouTube show called " The Misselthwaite Archives , " which is a modern retelling of the taradiddle . you could catch ithere .
