Gillian Linscott always writes well - but this is a 'one off' which has given her a chance to explore new territory. 'The Garden' of the title is first constructed in 1907, and is the connecting element in a story which brings us to the present day.
Many memorable characters, each with suspicions of the others, and their own secrets, come together and are separated in a complex dance.
The mood is one of sadness and misunderstanding, relieved by the beauty and serenity of the garden. Against a background of the First World War and subsequent labour trouble in the South Wales mines, two families living on the border between England and Wales influence each others' lives down the generations.
The geographical location is one of the most lovely in Britain. The unique character of the Marches comes over in the story, with the deep differences between the English and the Welsh made much of.
A highly recommended novel, which offers the reader another time and place to lose yourself in.