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The First Gardener

by Denise Hildreth Jones (Goodreads Author)

4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 · rating details · 397 ratings · 123 reviews

Jeremiah Williams has been tending the gardens of the Tennessee governor's mansion for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart. Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for ten years to have a child and are now enjoying a sweet season of life--anticipating the coming reelection and se...more

Paperback, 419 pages

Published July 19th 2011 by Tyndale House Publishers (first published July 1st 2011)

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Mar 11, 2013 Corallie Buchanan rated it 5 of 5 stars

My goodness! This story was so healing for me. After the very traumatic event of losing a very near and dear relationship with my mother, this book had me bawling my eyes out!!!

After living my life believing that my mother was one way, only to experience the total opposite, I was traumatized. I felt the same as Mackenzie did when she lost her Maddie. Life with my mother as I knew it could never be the same again. My mother was not the person she had led me to believe all of my life. Through a fa...more

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Feb 17, 2013 D.M. Self rated it 5 of 5 stars

One couple...two tragedies.
If one death could steal your joy, then what would two deaths do, steal your soul?
Gray and Mackenzie are brought from joy to despair to hope and then thrown into the pit of hell.
A review will never capture the essence of what this story does. It shows that no matter how big the hurt, the pain, the hope, etc., nothing is too big for God.

The chapters intermingled with Jeremiah's POV give a true Southern taste and how deep our roots go when it come to leaning and trustin...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

This has to be one of the saddest yet encouraging books I've read in a long time. Governor Gray London and his wife Mackenzie struggled for ten years to get pregnant, and their little girl, Maddie, now five, is the center of their world. When tragedy strikes, they lose their faith and their way. Can the gardener remind them that no matter how dark the winter is, spring will come?

This story will tear at your heart. The first tragedy happens, and just when you think Mack and Gray will have a break...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Debra Brinkman rated it 5 of 5 stars

When a book opens with a funeral, it is a pretty big hint that this isn't going to be one of those light, sweet, feel-good reads. And in the case of The First Gardener, that hint was a good one.

After that funeral -- for someone, we don't know who -- the story jumps back nearly two weeks. The First Gardener is primarily the story of the governor of Tennessee (a fictional governor) and his oh-so-perfect family. They are young, beautiful, successful and happy. Of course, as you get to know them, yo...more When a book opens with a funeral, it is a pretty big hint that this isn't going to be one of those light, sweet, feel-good reads. And in the case of The First Gardener, that hint was a good one.

After that funeral -- for someone, we don't know who -- the story jumps back nearly two weeks. The First Gardener is primarily the story of the governor of Tennessee (a fictional governor) and his oh-so-perfect family. They are young, beautiful, successful and happy. Of course, as you get to know them, you learn a bit more. For one thing, they are doing fertility treatments as they want another miracle baby.

As you are learning about the characters -- the governor who cares so much for his state; his wife, who is so active with a local shelter; his adorable 5-year-old daughter, who is starting kindergarten; his father, who is in the final stages of Alzheimer's; his mother-in-law and her friends, who are pretty outrageous and provide comic relief; his staff and long-time friends; and of course, his gardener, who is the only person to tell the story from a first-person point of view -- you know that the opening funeral is coming up.

Once I got far enough into the story to grasp the basic plot, I could not possibly put the book down. First, because I truly cared about the characters, as they were so well-written they seemed real. Second, because I had to find out how it ended or else I was simply not going to be able to sleep. That meant I stayed up until 3:30 a.m. to finish the story.

This book was worth it. This is Christian fiction, but not in a preachy, sermonizing way. Nobody has a 'come to Jesus moment' that makes all of their problems magically vanish. People have real problems. The person who dies stays dead, and those left behind have to come to terms with that death. And they have to learn that, like it or not, life does go on.

I've never truly spent time in Tennessee, so I have no idea if the descriptions and characterizations rang true or not, but from a total outsider, it sure felt like real places and people were being described.

Very good book. (less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Renn Shearin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jeremiah Williams has been tending the gardens of the Tennessee governor’s mansion for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart.
Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for ten years to have a child and are now enjoying a sweet season of life—anticipating the coming reelection and sending their precious daughter, Maddie, off to kindergarten—when a tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns,...more Jeremiah Williams has been tending the gardens of the Tennessee governor’s mansion for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart.
Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for ten years to have a child and are now enjoying a sweet season of life—anticipating the coming reelection and sending their precious daughter, Maddie, off to kindergarten—when a tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole.

Though his heart is also broken, Jeremiah realizes that his gift of gardening is about far more than pulling weeds and planting flowers. It’s about tending hearts as well. As he uses the tools that have been placed in his hands, he gently begins to cultivate the hard soil of Mackenzie’s heart, hoping to help her realize what it took him years to discover.

A Southern tale of loss, love, and living, The First Gardener reminds us that all of life is a gift, but our heart is the most valuable gift of all.

The First Gardener was a heart wrenching story that left me in tears but that renewed me at the same time. The plot line was well written and included many unexpected occurrences. I was not expecting such horrible events to befall the London family, and the final chapter also came as a complete shock. The storyline was beautifully woven and kept engaged the entire time. I read the entire book in a single evening because I could not put it down. The tone of the book varied with the characters' feelings and situations, and the language change between the chapters told from Jeremiah's perspectives versus the other chapters was excellent.

The characters were wonderfully developed and complex. Jeremiah had incredible faith in God, knowledge about different flowers' meanings, and the confidence to witness to those who were hurting. The final revealing piece of his character and life fit in so well and only increased my admiration of his strength and faith. Mackenzie experienced the most devastating grief and the complete shutdown of all emotions. This made me sympathize with her and grieve with her, but made it hard for me to connect with her simply because I have never experienced such great devastation. However, many people do go through that kind of suffering and grief, and her growth and recovery were critical to the story and important for all readers to see. Gray was amazing. He continued to love and pursue his wife even as she withered away on the inside. Gray was not without his faults, and he did experience several complete breakdowns as he grieved and as he refused to acknowledge that he needed help. Eugenia, Mackenzie's mom, was the complete opposite of her daughter and provided an excellent foil to her and Grey. She was bossy, controlling, and critical, but she loved her family immensely and only sought their good and to help them in their time of need. She and her friends had many hilarious scenes and provided critical comic relief in the dark moments of the novel.

The First Gardener was filled with powerful themes that really spoke to me. These included the need to grieve openly and not hold it inside, be open to the work of God, and the faithfulness of God even in the midst of great tragedy. This novel was convicting and heart wrenching and beautifully spoke of loss, love, and open arms of the First Gardener who loves us and holds us through it all. (less)

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Aug 01, 2012 Marianne rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I saw the title The First Gardener, My mind first went to the thought that it would be about Adam or perhaps God as the ultimate First Gardener. I had no idea what it would be about, but it stands to reason that if the spouse of the head of state is The First Wife, then the one who takes care of the grounds must be the First Gardener. This is a novel of heart ache and turmoil but also of forgiveness.
Who has not lived in the world of “what if” or “if only i” or even blaming our selves? This...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gray London, governor of Tennessee and first lady MacKenzie have a 5 yr old daughter, Maddie, who was born after many years of hoping. Maddie adds life to their home and their hearts.
Jeremiah has been tending the gardens of the govenor's house for 25 years, and 3 years of that for the London family. Jeremiah has a way of growing things and it can be said that a piece of heaven can truly be found in his backyard.
When tragedy strikes the world stops spinning. For this family through life's turmoil...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Not having read any books written by Denise, I had no idea what to expect. I'm not a big fan of contemporary fiction. But being a southerner, the setting and the cover enticed me to choose this book. I am so glad!!!

With a myriad of characters, this is one emotional roller coaster ride. From a child's giddy laughter to a gardner's silent prayers you will be taken to depths and heights you cannot imagine in this jewel of a book!

I must admit when I began reading I realized fairly quickly what was...more Not having read any books written by Denise, I had no idea what to expect. I'm not a big fan of contemporary fiction. But being a southerner, the setting and the cover enticed me to choose this book. I am so glad!!!

With a myriad of characters, this is one emotional roller coaster ride. From a child's giddy laughter to a gardner's silent prayers you will be taken to depths and heights you cannot imagine in this jewel of a book!

I must admit when I began reading I realized fairly quickly what was going to happen. That being said, it took awhile for events to unfold and in that time my anger began to build toward Mackenzie. I thought she was too indulgent and that was going to be trouble. Basically, I was blaming her ahead of time for what I knew was going to happen. Yep. It did. Can you tell I'm involved in this book yet?!

What I ignored, in my humanity, is that God is the One in control! There is nothing we can do to thwart God's plan but when tragedy strikes we must not play the blame game (even toward ourselves) because there is no one to blame. God holds all things in His capable hands and He is the One we must lean on in our darkest hour!

Of course Mackenzie's husband, the governor, and her mom play important rolls in the book but Jeremiah, The First Gardner, is the one I fell in love with. He's an old man with a heart of gold! I only wish I had a tenth of the servant heart and green thumb that he does. His quiet strength, unwavering love and wisdom are treasures that make this book shine. Oh, that we all could have a Jeremiah in our lives!

Bravo Denise!!! I highly recommend this book to everyone! It is a must read from this reviewers point of view whether you like contemporary fiction or not. You won't be disappointed. You might laugh, and cry, and get mad but you'll come out the better for it! I fully intend on reading it again. The only thing that could have possibly made it better is if those lovely orchids on the cover had been embossed :)

I want to thank Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.(less)

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Aug 02, 2011 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, contemporary-fiction, romance-fiction

If heaven had a backyard, it would look like the gardens of the Tennessee governor's mansion.

Jeremiah Williams has been tending those gardens for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart.

Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, are enjoying a sweet season of life when tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole.

Though his heart is also broken...more If heaven had a backyard, it would look like the gardens of the Tennessee governor's mansion.

Jeremiah Williams has been tending those gardens for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart.

Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, are enjoying a sweet season of life when tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole.

Though his heart is also broken, Jeremiah realizes that his gift of gardening is about far more than pulling weeds and planting flowers. It's about tending hearts as well. So he gently begins to cultivate the hard soil of Mackenzie's heart, hoping to show her what it took him decades to discover.

A southern tale of loss, love, and living. The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones, reminds us that all of life is a gift, but our heart it the most valuable gift of all.

My Review

This is such a heart-wrenching story to capture between the pages of this novel but Denise Hildreth Jones has achieved a perfect blend of perfection. Dealing with such unspeakable joy, then tragic loss that will pull your heart to its breaking point and rediscover how God can work through ANYTHING to bring about His perfect will for us, as is shown through the lives of Governor Gray London, a man of honor and impeccable strength, and his transparent and loving wife Mackenzie. We discover how hard it's been for them to have children and have resorted to fertility treatments that have produced many miscarriages. When Maddie is born is seems like God is finally smiling on them and the lasting and warm friendship that develops between the family and their gardener Jeremiah will just melt your heart.

Jeremiah's love for flowers has inspired him to show kindness in the best way he can through sharing flowers he lovingly tends all around the governors mansion. It isn't until Mackenzie's mother, Eugenia, a southern belle from long ago, informs her that these flowers have a message and each one of them is meant to encourage and convey God's meaning to Mackenzie, although at times, Jeremiah questions just the reasons behind the ones he is asked to bring her.

In the end, the reader is left filled with God's unconditional love and the knowledge that in His love, He shows up with unexpected blessings, amazing friendships, beautiful opportunities and yes, sometimes He allows inexplicable pain but He NEVER leaves us to handle it alone. This book will steal your heart and soul and leave you with a lasting sense of perfect peace and smiles to warm the coldest nights.

I received this book compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review. This is my second book by Denise Hildreth Jones and it certainly will not be my last. She writes so well you care about every single character with such love that they ingrain themselves into your heart and in the end feel like your family has grown a bit larger. This one is highly recommended. It will make you smile, cry, and love like never before and for that reason I proudly give it 5 out of 5 stars. (less)

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Aug 02, 2011 Renee rated it 4 of 5 stars

The First Gardener is the fictional story of the Tennessean governor Gray London and his family. The Londons are a typical American family - mom, dad, one child and wanting more. They also have the added bonus of living in a mansion in Nashville with beautiful gardens tended by Jeremiah. But tragedy strikes one day and their lives are forever changed. With the assistance of Jeremiah and others, they are able to get their lives back on track and once again move forward in life.

The characters in T...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Title: THE FIRST GARDENER
Author: Denise Hildreth
Publisher: Tyndale
June 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4143-3558-2
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary

If Heaven had a backyard, it would look like the gardens of the Tenness governor’s mansion.

JEREMIAH Williams has been the head gardener for over twenty-five years. And this particular first family has stolen their heart.

Governor Gray London and his wife, Mackenzie have a five year old daughter, Maddie, who is soon to be starting kindergarten. Mackenzie thought one...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Margaret Metz rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was hard to read. Not because it was poorly written or because the characters didn't speak to me. They did. I read a lot of fiction and a few non-fiction titles a year. This is one of those fictional titles that reads almost like non-fiction. The setting is so contemporary and the issues are ones that could have been grabbed from newspaper headlines running this year. Some of it felt so familiar that I believed I was going to read it was based on a true story.

It was a painful story of...more

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Sep 20, 2011 LuAnn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely and touching story, yet very sad at the same time. When an awful tragedy rips through the first family of Tennessee, Jeremiah Williams reaches out to help. With kindness and patience, he delivers advice and compassion to the governor and his wife, hoping that he can, in his own way, bring some healing and mercy to their lives.

I found this book very compelling and tender, as well as poignant. I also found myself drawn to the characters, especially Jeremiah. The author made we wan...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

This caught my eye at the library because I love to garden. Had no idea what it was about. I loved this book because of the strong Southern flavor. I have come to love the South having lived in the South for 27 years. I caught me by surprise, though, because it also is about dealing with the death of a child. Shed some new tears for the loss of my own son as I related to the main character, Mackenzie. I have felt all the emotions and feelings she experienced. I lived in the story all during the...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: free-nook, new-author

Keep your tissue box close as you cry and dispair with Gray and Mackenzie(Mack). Gray is the governor of Tennessee, and he and Mack are a loving, blessed family. They dote on their 5 year old daughter Maddie. When tragedy stikes, not once, but twice, their world as they know it is ripped apart. Mack falls into a depression that she cannot pull herself out of. Gray throws himself into work and is at a loss as to how to reach Mack in her dispair. Through the help of Mack's mother, Eugenia and her...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Caveat - the writing was superb and I was drawn into the story immediately. That said, I don't think I've ever read a more depressing book. While I totally get the tragedy behind the story, it was just one thing after another, with no real humor interspersed to lighten the mood. I didn't really care for the three biddies and the mother just got on my nerves. I related to the main characters more, and wanted things to go well for them, but I wish more had. I guess it's true that life's not fair,...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Jayne Pierce rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a well-written book that captures the raw emotions of the stages of loving, losing, grieving, and learning to live, trust, and forgive again. It is the story of Mackenzie and Gray London, the Governor and First Lady of Tennessee; however, I believe the main character of the story is Jeremiah,an unofficial family confidante but officially the gardner of the Governor's mansion - hence the title of the book "The First Gardener". I cheered with the family, cried with them, felt their pain an...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

I enjoyed this book. I picked it out for two good reasons. 1 it was on the summer reading list for Tyndale and 2 she has the same first name as me. I was hoping to find a good author who shares my first name and I found it.
I loved how the author included the meanings of flowers. The story has a lot of sadness in it and discusses how different people deal with grief. The last chapter that Jeremiah has reveals something that surprised me but made sense to me afterwords. I liked all the characters...more

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Aug 01, 2011 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: inspirational-general-fiction-guar

THE FIRST GARDENER by Denise Hildreth Jones is an interesting inspirational general fiction.This is an excellent story of love,loss,life,change in the season of life,gardener,faith,spiritual insight,loss of a child,with true life characters and the greatest gift of all the heart.This is inspiring story of life and its difficulties.A touching,compelling Southern story with grief,faith,hope and a valuable gift.This is a must read. This book was received for the purpose of review from the publisher...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Lenore Webb rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had to journey to the South with a tale that tugged at my heart. The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones is beautifully told capturing my soul as I explored the governor's mansion. I loved how the story paralleled tending to a garden takes love, time and attention the same as tending to a broken spirit. You will love this story if your a fan of epic life stories. The First Gardener was one that made me laugh and cry. A must have for your nightstand reading stack! Denise expresses her own S...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Cathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Denise Hildreth

“I’ve learned through the years that it is the power of a story that changes people. Whether it’s the stories I write, or the story of my life that has been written so far, stories have a powerful ability to influence, enlighten, and transform.”

MY THOUGHTS:

What a beautiful and touching story of love, loss, despair, grief, and healing. MacKenzie and Gray Landon had it all. Gray is the Governor of Tennessee. MacKenzie is a loving wife, mother, daughter,and an advocate for Nashville...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Leslie Anderson rated it 2 of 5 stars

I couldn't really get into this book. It moved slowly and gave way too many details about the daily lives of the governor and his wife, like political discussions at the capitol, long scenes of community service time, drawn-out conversations with their daughter (which were meant to make you feel as though you knew them, I'm sure, but I was bored stiff). I didn't care for the old ladies in the story and found them obnoxious and not very funny, which is sad since I think they were supposed to be t...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Lydia (Overweight Bookshelf) rated it 5 of 5 stars

First reviewed here: http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot....

If ever an inanimate object could be treated as a person, and treated poorly, it is this book. My dysfunctional relationship with this story spanned the extremes of emotional reaction: I laughed with it, screamed at it, sassed back at it, and-to my shame-slapped it around when things didn't go my way. But the jump from anger to love grew smaller and smaller until I couldn't let this book go. It embraced me like a warm blanket and soake...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Hattie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a novel packed with the deepest emotions experienced by any human heart. Almost the entire story takes place in the Governor's mansion in Tennessee. Gray London is the governor. His wife is Mackenzie London. There is their daughter, Maddie, who is just beginning kindergarten. Along with these characters are Eugenia, the mother in law and Jeremiah, the gardener. Each person in this circle are giving people until the unexpected happens in their lives. This one event will reshape their live...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Holly Renee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, fiction, fiction-contemporary, fiction-western, favorite

For over twenty-five years Jeremiah Williams has tended the award-winning gardens that grace the Tennessee governor's mansion. He's seen First families come and go, but this one has captured his heart in a special way. First lady Mackenzie London and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for a decade to have a child. Though in the midst of starting a re-election campaign and enduring new political struggles, nothing could be sweeter than their current state of life--because they are...more For over twenty-five years Jeremiah Williams has tended the award-winning gardens that grace the Tennessee governor's mansion. He's seen First families come and go, but this one has captured his heart in a special way. First lady Mackenzie London and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for a decade to have a child. Though in the midst of starting a re-election campaign and enduring new political struggles, nothing could be sweeter than their current state of life--because they are sending their five year-old daughter, Maddie, off to kindergarten. But tragedy soon rips their world apart, sending the state of Tennessee into mourning, and Mackenzie into a grief and blackness so deep that it nearly chokes the life from her. Jeremiah realizes God hasn't just called him to tend the gardens of the governor's mansion, but the decaying garden within Mackenzie's heart. As he and her friends fight for her, Jeremiah works diligently to help her understand what has taken him years to discover.

The Fist Gardener is a heart-wrenching southern tale of love, grief, and hope. Denise Hildreth Jones crafts an excellent story that, in my opinion, earns her a place alongside renowned authors such as Liz Curtis Higgs and Francine Rivers, as she masters almost every area of creating a story that moves the reader's heart and stirs the emotions, while displaying brilliant and clever literary technique.

She blends complex emotions and messages into a thought-provoking story while seamlessly mixing in comedy and southern flare. Her brilliance in capturing Jeremiah's voice brings him to life and endears him to the reader. In fact, she brings each character to life in a such a way that they are no longer just characters, but friends that you find yourself rooting for as they struggle.

For those who have walked through the same grief as Mackenzie, you will find this story exposing pieces of your heart and making them vulnerable. But you will also find healing.

This book is especially great for book clubs and church reading groups as they can enjoy digging through the deeper literary devices of the story and discussing them--I personally loved the entire gardening symbol and found the spiritual impact so touching that I just bawled. I'm still bawling!

This book is not for those who seek a light-hearted, entertaining read. This novel will challenge you to summon the most vulnerable areas of your heart--yet it's so worth it. In a five out five star rating I give The First Gardner a six!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (less)

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Jul 24, 2011 Itsjustme-wendy rated it 5 of 5 stars

About the book - Mackenzie London is dying. She is not dying of cancer, not of Aides, not of any other kind of disease. She is dying of a broken heart. Mack is in all but a catatonic state after the death of her daughter. This is not only about the grief that Mack is suffering from but also the grief of all those around her, her husband, Gray (the Governor of TN), her mother, Eugenia, and even the gardener, Jeremiah. They are all suffering from a broken heart as well. First they all lost a beaut...more About the book - Mackenzie London is dying. She is not dying of cancer, not of Aides, not of any other kind of disease. She is dying of a broken heart. Mack is in all but a catatonic state after the death of her daughter. This is not only about the grief that Mack is suffering from but also the grief of all those around her, her husband, Gray (the Governor of TN), her mother, Eugenia, and even the gardener, Jeremiah. They are all suffering from a broken heart as well. First they all lost a beautiful little girl in the tragedy of a car accident and now they are loosing Mackenzie to her depression as she crawls deeper and deeper into herself.
This book is about the deepest kind of sorrow you can find - the loss of a child and then loosing the will to live.

My review - This is just about the saddest book I have ever read. I have read almost all of Denise's books and they have all touched me in some way. She is a very gifted writer! I consider her to be one of my favorite Christian Authors
.
Denise has a way with the characters in her books. You absolutely feel the pain and loss felt by Mackenzie and Gray. I loved Mack and was sad for her but was also frustrated with her at the same time. Part of me just wanted to shake her and yell "Snap out of it! Life goes on." I know that some people loose their faith in God after a great tragedy. But it is also God who is always there for us and will help us through if we allow him. We can't shut him out like Mackenzie did in our greatest time of need.

You also feel Gray's pain. He is not only grieving the death of his daughter but now the loss of a wife. What can he do to help her as she no longer touches him or talks to him, never leaves the bedroom and won't even eat. Can he help her in time before she slips away for good? And with an upcoming election, he has the decision of running for office again or being there for his wife, or can he do both?

Eugenia, Mack's mother is my favorite character! What a feisty old woman she is. She reminds me of Shirley McLaine in the movie "Steel Magnolias". She is trying to be the strong one, giving up her own life and moving in to take care of her adult grieving daughter, bathing her, feeding her, dressing her, all while deep inside she herself is hurting and unable to show it.
Even thought I spent a good 3/4 of this book bawling my eyes out I also spent some time chuckling thanks to Eugenia!

Then there is sweet old Jeremiah, the black, southern gardener for over 25 years now. He has seen pain before in the death of his own wife, but Mackenzie's grief is stealing his heart. Jeremiah is trying desperately to help Mack to heal.He listens as God speaks to his heart and tells him what to say and what flowers to give her according to their meaning.

(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished a book that should be a movie. The book is called The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones. This book is a definitely a chick movie kind of book. The book is about a southern family but not just any southern family it is about the first family of Tennessee. Governor Gray London his wife Mackenzie and their five year old daughter are quite the family. Mackenzie’s mom Eugenia Quinn is a strong character with southern ties that run deep. I loved her three friends each one was fun...more

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Jun 12, 2012 JoyAnne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Denise Hildreth is one of my favorite authors, I loved Flies on the Butter and after reading The First Gardener it's one of my favorite books. A sad story of the loss of a child and how God used an old gardener and flowers to heal a broken heart.

Tennessee Governor Gray Landon and his wife, Mackenzie, have a daughter after years of trying to get pregnant. The child is killed in a car accident and Mackenzie sinks deep into a depression, her will to live is gone.

Jeremiah is the gardener and he grow...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Karen B rated it 4 of 5 stars

How can a book be so sad and depressing, yet so uplifting too? The First Gardener is both, and much more. I easily related to the likeable characters and felt the loving interaction between them. Reading through, I would find myself wiping away tears and in the very next paragraph giggling at some of the antics Eugenia and her cohorts were cooking up. It is worth the read, and I will be recommending it to my friends.

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Sep 16, 2012 Kelly Brun rated it 3 of 5 stars

3 stars: I liked this book. I probably would not have picked this one up on my own. Lucky for me it was a freebee on Amazon a few weeks back. While I wouldn't consider the writing of this book to be excellent, I did think that the author did a great job presenting a peek into grief and into the steps needed for coping. Additionally,I enjoyed the southern feel of this book.

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About Denise Hildreth Jones

Denise Hildreth Jones began writing as Denise Hildreth.

Denise Hildreth’s novels have moved her readers to tears and laughter as they stay up all night just to finish the last page. "I'm just a southern girl from South Carolina who knows crazy people, the south, and rigged beauty pageants. So, I thought I'd write a book about them. I didn't even know I could write fiction. Come to find out people h...more

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