The Gardener by Sarah Stewart tells the story of one year in the life of a girl named Lydia Grace Finch. It takes place during the Great Depression when jobs were scarce and times were hard. The book is a series of letters that Lydia Grace writes. The first are to her Uncle Jim and the later are to her family back home. You see, Lydia Grace leaves her rural home to live in the big city with her Uncle Jim, the baker.
When she arrives, the train station is big, and dark, and cold looking. But things brighten up when Lydia Grace realizes that there are window boxes. And despite the tall buildings all around her, the sun shines on the building where she will live. Even though these things cheer her, she is dismayed to realize that her Uncle Jim does not smile.
Through the correspondence, you learn of Lydia Grace’s love for gardening. Her Grandma keeps her supplied with seed catalogs, packets of seeds, bulbs, and even baby plants sent through the mail. Early in the spring, Lydia Grace makes a discovery that sets a great plan in motion.
Lydia Grace works diligently and persistently on her plan; she must exhibit great resourcefulness and ingenuity to pull it off. Although Uncle Jim is kept from the secret, Emma (a bakery worker) and many of the customers assist Lydia Grace in her plant-growing efforts. They supply her with containers and cuttings from their own gardens.
And then, the time comes for the great unveiling. Lydia Grace plans a great Fourth of July celebration which will take place after the bakery closes at noon for the holiday. All of her hopes rest on the goal of seeing Uncle Jim smile. What is Lydia Grace’s plan, and will all of her efforts over the past many months pay off? You will have to read The Gardener by Sarah Stewart to find out.