The Secret Garden is a classic children’s novel first published in 1911 by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The story begins with Mary Lennox, a spoiled, ill-tempered, and lonely ten-year-old girl, born to wealthy British parents living in India. After a cholera epidemic kills her parents, Mary is orphaned and sent to live with her reclusive uncle, Archibald Craven, at Misselthwaite Manor in the Yorkshire moors. At the manor, Mary learns about a walled garden that has been locked and neglected since her aunt’s death. Driven by curiosity and a desire for something to tend, she finds the key and the hidden door, and begins to restore the garden. Through her efforts, she transforms both the garden and herself—Mary becomes kinder, more outgoing, and emotionally healthier. Encyclopedia Britannica +1 She also discovers Colin Craven, her cousin, who has been hidden away in the house, believing himself to be permanently ill and unable to walk. Mary, along with Dickon (a friendly boy who knows about nature and animals), helps Colin to heal—physically and mentally—by bringing him into the garden and helping him believe in himself.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett tells the story of Mary Lennox, a spoiled and lonely girl who is sent from India to live with her uncle in Yorkshire after her parents die. At Misselthwaite Manor, she discovers a hidden, locked garden that has been neglected for years. With the help of a kind village boy, Dickon, Mary restores the garden and, in the process, becomes healthier and more compassionate. She also finds her cousin Colin, who believes he is too ill to walk. Together, they spend time in the secret garden, and Colin gradually gains strength, confidence, and joy. The novel highlights the healing power of nature, friendship, and love, showing how care and companionship can transform lives.