Up the Garden Path

This month’s theme had me thinking that garden scenes don’t feature very often in my books, and that’s probably because ornamental gardens are rather too close to the house. Not much chance for privacy, for meaningful talks (and hopefully a swoon-worthy kiss, or several) if our dear characters are strolling under Lady Catherine’s windows or Miss Bingley’s.

The woods around Rosings, Netherfield and Longbourn are a much safer bet, and so are cliff-paths overlooking the sea, or quiet spots in the p...