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1900–1914

The years passed, and the children grew. In time another sister came to join the family.

Our new baby is called Matilda, Edward wrote in his diary, in the summer of 1900. I have planted peonies for her in the knot garden. She is a plump and smiling child, and Lily dotes on her. I feel so blessed that despite our early heartache we have such a perfect family. And Lily I love more than ever. Tending the knot garden together, with the children playing around us, is the greatest of joys. My only sadness is that Lily still seems unable to love Connie the way that I do. I try to make it up to her, by loving her for both of us …

Edward grew wealthy from his many clients around the country, but the more time passed, the less inclined he felt like travelling from the place where he felt happiest. He was content mainly to spend his spare time pottering in the garden with Lily and the children, or taking them on long walks in the countryside. In summer it was their favourite pastime to picnic under the old willow tree by the river and watch the children play.

While all his children delighted him, Edward couldn’t help but reserve a special place in his heart for Connie, trying to make up for Lily’s lack of interest in her as best he could. Lily doted on Harry and the baby, and barely seemed to notice Connie at times, but if it bothered Connie she never said.

Connie was so different from her mother, quiet and studious, and even as a child she was incredibly stoical in the face of pain. There was a day Edward remembered well when she came in with a thorn deep in her thumb, which clearly pained her, yet she shed not a single tear when Edward tenderly pulled it out. Even Lily had marvelled at her courage.

The years passed, the children grew, and Edward found himself more involved in philanthropy than gardening, the wealth he had accrued from designing gardens for the great and good, allowing him to do charitable works nearer to home.

I have decided to design a garden for the village, he wrote in his diary in 1904, the people of Heartsease need a place to go for recreation, and I will willingly share my expertise.

So in summer of 1905, Lily proudly opened the Heartsease Public Gardens for the first time. There was a grand party, and the whole village turned out. They had bunting and flags, and a village fete. Lily, Edward and the children – the girls dressed in white muslin dresses, Harry in a sailor suit – were photographed with the villagers in front of the gates of the new park. It was one of those languorous long summer days that seemed to go on forever. The sun shone, the village band played, and Edward felt blessed to live in a place like Heartsease. He watched with pride as the village children ran joyously in the gardens he’d created for them. After the knot garden, he wrote in his diary, the Heartsease Public Gardens are my greatest achievement.

‘I’m so proud of you,’ Lily said, as they returned home that night, the children full of sticky cakes and buns, and exhausted from running wild with the village children. ‘You do so much good for everyone.’

She kissed him lightly on the cheek, and that evening, when the children were in bed, she and Edward sat on the veranda, watching the sun go down behind the hills, and listened to the bats screeching in the dusk. They held hands and celebrated their good fortune.

Later, looking back to that time, it seemed to Edward that the sun had always shone, and the summers seemed endless, full of joy and laughter as his children tumbled up in a happy family time.

Lily’s diary, July 1905

Today I opened Edward’s gardens. It is such a noble and good thing he has done for the people of Heartsease. Now all the villagers have somewhere to go, and judging by the children today, the gardens are an instant success.

I am so proud of Edward, so lucky to have married him. I looked at our beautiful children tonight, as they slept, and thanked God that I have been so fortunate. After all that early heartache I have my heart’s desire right here, with Edward in Lovelace Cottage. I feel I will never want for anything again.