I didn’t think I was going to like this book when I first started to read it. It seemed to be all about planting gardens, but then I got into it and really liked it. It’s about three different women and their lives planning and bringing the garden back to life from 1907 to present day. Very good historical fiction.

I ended up listening to this book, and the multiple narrators led to a fantastic story; it also helped with keeping straight the multiple historical points and storylines. I'm not a huge gardener (in fact, I'd say I have a black thumb, as I kill all plants), but this didn't affect the story for me. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book!

I raced through this lovely book in a couple of days-it was great! At first, I wasn't sure about keeping up with three women in three different timelines, but Julia Kelly handled this beautifully. I loved that the three women worked in and loved the same garden. I highly recommend this title, and I look forward to sharing it with our library patrons.

This is a story of three very strong women in three different time periods. The one thing that ties all of these women together is a garden. I love a story about strong women and this book does not disappoint. The garden is so beautifully written that you can smell the flowers as you are reading.

Such a good read. I enjoyed the characters and the timeline Well written and would read another book by this author. Thanks fo netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

One garden connects three women through decades. Each woman in the story faces their own troubles and must overcome society's constraints. I enjoyed all the parts that described the garden and talked about the layout and the different kinds of flowers. I almost wish there were pictures so I could picture it better. I didn't realize how much planning went into these great gardens. I also liked all the main characters, they all in their own way struck out on their own, whether by necessity or for their own happiness.

However, there were some aspects in the story that kept me from giving it a higher rating. There were a lot of characters, at times I was getting a lot of the people mixed up, especially in the 1940s timeline. I think this kept me from connecting with the characters, and ultimately the story. I also thought that there could have been a little more heat to the romances, I don't need every detail, but a little something extra would have helped enhance the romances.

Absolutely charming book, three stories that are entertaining and riveting. Really enjoyed the writing style and stories that were told.

This story has three timelines with various female characters. The Highbury House Gardens connect them and there are elements of romance, secrets, friendship, and loss. It was a very good story and well written. I was captured on page and didn’t want it to end.
Many thanks to Gallery Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have had this book finished for a bit now and have been trying to come up with a review that would do it justice. Turns out I don’t have the words. From page 1 it was as though I was transported into the book. The three generations, the people, the gardens. I felt like I went along with every part of this book. I just loved it and cannot wait to adventure through it again.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

***** 4.5 stars, Loved it: Set in three times, present day and World War II and early 1900s, The Last Garden is a must-read for any historical fiction reader.

Recommended readers:
If you like novels with WWII history across multiple storylines
If you like a historical read that ties into current times
If you like strong female characters

Here's my Rankings:
5/5 for characters
4/5 for plot
4.5/5 overall

REVIEW FROM:

From early 1900s to WWII to current times, The Last Garden ties together multiple women across many generations through the history-rich gardens of Highbury House. The original creator of the garden in 1907, Venetia Smith, was a pioneer of her time and left her designs for a century of enjoyment. Then several women during World War II experienced the gardens much differently when the estate became a war hospital. And finally Emma Lovett, modern day history buff and garden-restorer, returns to uncover the secrets of the garden.

In this three-plot-line story - you'll step into the shoes of many women at turning points in their lives - and history. The Last Garden is a great historical read - a way to dig into the new year with perspective from different generations and times.

“Have you ever loved a place so much that it sunk into your bones?”

Julia Kelly's THE LAST GARDEN IN ENGLAND focuses around three gifted female gardeners whose stories across three time periods but across one English estate - Highbury House. In 1907, famed landscape gardener Venetia Smith is hired to create a masterpiece. Emma, in modern-day, is a small business owner restoring Venetia's work. And land girl Beth Pedley in World War II era Highbury House - a temporary hospital - bridges the two. And there's a secret that carries through the entire story, which Kelly artfully teases out over the pages.

Kelly is a beautiful writer, describing the lush gardens and design with a passion of her own. Venetia, Emma and Beth are all fleshed out and grow as people throughout the story. There are passionate romances, but above all, each of these women fight to make a life of their own, one that they can feel is independent, fulfilling and true to their passions.

Even if you could care less about gardening, the story goes beyond that. THE LAST GARDEN IN ENGLAND also speaks to the challenges of raising a child, motherhood, art, and how far women will go to dig up a secret and learn the truth. This is one I can highly recommend for fans of historical fiction, multiple POVs and anyone who loved Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale.

Thank you to Netgalley & Gallery Books for the gifted copy for review.

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I loved this book! It hit all the right notes: historical fiction, gardens and gardening, a bit of romance, family secrets, strong women - and takes place at an amazing British estate in the English countryside. The novel alternates between the stories of three women from different time periods (1907, 1944, and present day) and their relationships to the garden and the different owners. The story of each woman is engrossing on its own, and the author skillfully weaves them together as she includes clues about a family secret that has been hidden for decades.

The garden is the link that connects these women, with Julia Kelly vividly describing the original design by talented artist Venetia Smith in 1907, the pull of the garden on land girl Beth Pedley in 1944, and present day Emma Lovett, who has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate.

I was quickly drawn into each woman's unique story as they dealt with the morals and personal constraints of their individual eras, the theme of reinvention, and the strength of pursuing new beginnings. I highly recommend this satisfying story of love, loss, and hope.

This book has an excellent storyline! It takes place in the years 1907, 1944, & 2021. A woman is hired to restore the flower gardens to its original look. The people who own the house and garden have problems and joys. It has so many characters that I needed to make a list in order for me to keep the storyline moving in the correct direction. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this excellent book!

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC of The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly.

The Last Garden in England is the tale of Highbury Garden through the eyes of three women in three different time periods. The first is Emma Lovett. She is the owner of Turn Back Thyme- a garden restoration company. The second is Venetia Smith in 1907- she is the creator of the garden. The third woman is Beth Pedley in 1944. She has come to Highbury House as a land girl at one of the surrounding farms.

All three women love the garden. Venetia created it but had to leave before it was finished. Beth saw the garden in all of its perfection during the horrors of World War I. Emma has been hired to restore the garden to what it was meant to be.

The Last Garden in England is the best historical fiction book that I have read in a long time. The three narratives were woven together seamlessly and the characters were beautifully written. England has amazing gardens and reading this book allows readers a window into their true beauty.

This book should come with a warning, do not read in the winter, because you will want to get out and work in your garden! Upon finishing it, I immediately got out all the garden catalogs that were arriving and started planning a garden redesign!

I absolutely loved everything about this book. I love stories that cross different eras and I love stories that have anything to do with gardening.

The main character of the book to me is the garden. The garden at Highbury House. It’s what ties all of the women together.

In present times, we meet Emma, who has been given the job of restoring the long neglected gardens to their former glory. She is especially intrigued by the small locked garden room. Why would it be locked?

In 1944, we meet Beth, Stella and Diana. It is during the war and the house has been turned into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. Diana is the mistress of the house, Stella is the cook and Beth is a land girl.

In 1907, Venetia Smith is the creator of the garden. She is known for designing beautiful gardens for wealthy people with large estates.

There is so much going on in this novel and it all pulls together beautifully. Each time frame is fully fleshed out and you really get a feel for what was going on at the time. They each in themselves could have been their own story.

The characters are also so well developed. She really captured the way the women would feel and act in each of their times. Each and everyone of their storylines is a dive into their characters.

Then as if the time and the characters weren’t enough, there is the writing about the garden. All the details, so wonderful.

In addition to all of that, there is a bit of mystery. Why is part of the garden locked? As the story unfolds, we learn why.

I will definitely read anything this author writes!

This is an intriguing book that moves between three different time periods. At first I had to keep reminding myself which character belonged in which era and who the other characters were and how they were all related or involved. But once the book starts moving the pace is very quick and each section stands alone nicely as an interesting story. I really enjoyed reading about all the flowers and plants and the effort each of the women took to make this garden so beautiful and meaningful. This has the feel of a Kate Morton novel so fans of her books will definitely enjoy this. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome for Venetia and ultimately each of the women found their own strength to create or restore this garden and manage their own happiness. Overall a wonderful book. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Garden in England is a wonderful book. It tells the story of Highbury House in three different eras through the view of three vastly different women. While the house and garden are not the main characters, they play a remarkable role in the telling of the tale. This is a beautifully written historical novel by one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

A lovely story reminding us that it can be a small world, joined by many coincidences. I love the descriptions of the gardens, and like the descriptions of running the convalescence hospital. I was not terribly familiar with all of the "girls" activities either. Knew about the WAAF but not the Land girls, how interesting! I am reminded of a response I saw an author give about what time period she would like to live in if she could be sent there, and she said not before 1960, as much because of birth control as anything else! Society's treatment of women could be harsh when women could not control their own destiny in child bearing...little but not too much of a spoiler ;)

One gardens roots runs deep through the lives of women connected through the generations by ties unseen but tightly strung together in Julia Kelly’s book “The Last Garden in England”.

Three generations of women’s lives are bound together by one remarkable garden. A garden that one woman brings to life, another holds it together through war and the last is rediscovering its beauty in todays’s world. All these women have their lives changed with events taking place during their time as caregivers and protectors of the land that the garden grows upon.

Kelly through diligent research brought the times; the late 19th century, World War Two era and modern 21st century together to form a spectacular tale! In her description of how a remarkable grand estate’s garden touched the lives of women associated with it through these times was masterful! This is a book that can reach out to touch a reader’s heart and bring emotions into play that leave a memorable and wonderful mark within them. I would say “yes” to anyone who is thinking of reading this book to buy themselves a copy!

"The Last Garden in England" tells the stories of three women whose lives are connected by a garden in England. Each woman lives during a different time period, ranging from the early 1900's to present day. The novel skips from one woman to another, backwards and forwards in time. Readers learn of the life circumstances, secrets, and life events of each character, how the women were influenced by these, and finally of the ties that connect them over time.

Author notes inform readers of how the book came to be written. Information about gardening is subtly woven into the story. Readers who enjoy historical fiction and unique settings with a focus on strong, independent women will find this novel intriguing. This book contains no graphic violence, intimacy, or strong language.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.