The Lioness of Boston

In the novel, plants, especially those grown in gardens, often symbolize growth, renewal, and vitality. When Isabella is struggling to find a sense of community as a young bride, she bonds with Mr. Valentine, a gardener employed at the Boston Public Gardens. She is drawn to him due to the book Jack gave her with images of flowers and plants. Even though Isabella received this book shortly after a disappointing realization that she was not pregnant, it gave her the sense that “life might be possible whether I was tranquil or not” (38). Later, after the loss of their son, Jack takes Isabella to the famous Chelsea Physic Garden (one of the oldest gardens in Great Britain); the garden is full of medicinal plants and helps to inspire emotional and psychological healing for Isabella. Plants and gardens are one of the first areas where Isabella expresses her creativity and talent for curating and collecting. As she explains to her father-in-law, “I think I like making something” (70).

Later, looking back on her life, Isabella compares herself to horticulture: “I had been learning about leaves and blooms, shrubs and what to plant where, but really I had been cultivating growth” (346).