Happiness in The Secret Garden

Happiness in The Secret Garden

  

I simply love being in a beautiful garden.  Whether it is just sitting,  strolling, or sweating as I am cleaning and planting.  For me, there is something so very special about nature and, in particular, flora and fauna.  As a little girl, I loved the story of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. 

Janet Allison Brown has retold The Secret Garden for little ones in a picture book illustrated by Graham Rust.

 

One of the underlying themes of the story is the way that happiness begets happiness.  What a wonderful thought!  It is impossible to always be happy, especially in the face of adversity.  However, can we just try to find the blessings in life and be happy so that everyone we touch will experience that happiness?

~K~

Burnett Memorial Fountain Central Park, NY

The Secret Garden is one of those classic novels that will always be sentimental to me because of how much I loved it when I was an adolescent.  The idea of a secret place whose "magical" powers can help us find happiness after heartache is one I think we all wish we possessed. 

I think it is important that we have such a place where we can go to feel rejuvenated.  For some it may be the beach, for others, it may be a spa, and for still others it may be a room in the home.  No matter where our "Secret Garden" may be, we need that space to call our own and to use the magic to lift our spirits.  For some reason, it is easier to believe in the magic of a setting than it is to realize that we can control our own happiness.  That is the lesson we learn from Mary and Colin.

 I also find it fascinating that a little bit of responsibility in one's life can lead to happiness.  Mary takes on caring for the neglected garden and then for Colin.  This gives her a sense of purpose that completely changes her character.  This is a lesson we can easily teach our little ones with the reponsibility of a garden.

Brown's version of The Secret Garden shows children that it is okay to seek out a "magical" place of their own where they can learn to cope with negative feelings.  I am finding this happening to my son after the birth of my daughter.  At 5 years apart, my son finds he prefers the quiet of his room to the screaming baby in the living room.  Although I may feel sorrow about his desire to be alone, he assures me that he "just wants some alone time".....words from a 5-year-old!

~N~







Here are some ideas for The Secret Garden!

The titles link to the websites.

The Secret Garden Unit of Study

Teacher Link provides an interdisciplinary unit of study on The Secret Garden.

 

Family Gardening

The Kids Gardening website provides great ideas to help your children enjoy growing their own garden.

Pinecone Birdfeeder 

Kaboose offers a tutorial for making a Birdfeeder with little ones.     

 Key Wind Chime
If Mary had not found the key, she would not have been able to enter the Secret Garden.  This craft using recyclable materials is dedicated to that moment.  This would look wonderful with antique keys.

 

The Secret Garden

You can visit Free Classic AudioBooks website to download a free audio version of The Secret Garden.  There are many other classic audio books to download as well.

 
Secret Garden Themed Party

Kara's Party Ideas has wonderful ideas for a little girl's Secret Garden Party.






Tea Time Sandwiches
All the girls in our family love to go to Afternoon Tea!  Southern Living has provided delicious recipes for tea sandwiches.  Any or all of these would be great for a Secret Garden Tea Party!

 

Tea Time 

Lemon Squares

Of course, with tea parties there are always sweets!  One of my favorite "go to" recipes for a sweet tea treat is Ina Garten's lemon squares.  They truly are the BEST! 

"If you look the right way,

you can see that the whole world is a garden."

― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Tell Us About Your "Secret Garden"!

 

Linking to:

Foodie Friday
Share It Saturday
On the Menu Monday
Tasty Tuesday
Homemaking Party