There’s no better introduction to the “Gardens of Three Pines” than Miss Jane Neal’s. Jane, a retired schoolteacher, is famously the first murder victim in Louise’s beloved and bestselling series. Her garden provides a window into the type of person she was – and the community of Three Pines where she lived.
“‘One more question,’ said Gamache at the door, the bag of muffins in one hand and the door handle in the other. ‘You mentioned the Charles de Mills rose.’
‘Jane’s favorite. He’s not just any rose, Chief Inspector. He’s considered by rosarians to be one of the finest in the world. An old garden rose. Only blooms once a season but with a show that’s spectacular. And then it’s gone.’” – Still Life
Jane was known for her particular fondness for “old garden roses,” which she tended with expert care, and her favorite, the Charles de Mills rose. Beyond the roses, her garden was a riot of color and variety, featuring:
- Hollyhocks: Of the Alcea genus, hollyhock is generally found in Asia and Europe. The Streambank Wild Hollyhock is native to North America.
- Sweet Bergamot (Monarda): A mint that is indigenous to North America. The Native Americans used its medicinal qualities to cure stomach ailments, among other ailments.
- Charles de Mills Rose: An Old Garden Rose, first introduced in 1786, the Charles de Mills rose is known for its vibrant purple and crimson hues. The Charles de Mills was inducted into the Old Rose Hall of Fame in 2015.
Tell us about your garden?
69 replies on “The Gardens of Three Pines: Miss Jane Neal’s Garden”
Rose-my favourite.
It was fun figuring out what grew well in Tennessee after living most of my life in Illinois. I love having wisteria, hibiscus, honeysuckle, and dahlias in my flower beds!
Hello all,
I live in Florida so we are semi-tropical. My favorite plant besides my beautiful Queen Palms that are 2 stories tall, is the lovely Angel Trumpet. She is 6 feet tall and has absolutely lovely blooms that are almost a foot long. Please do a search to see them, you won’t be disappointed. Have a wonderful day, and stop and smell the roses as they say.
send me your email so i can see yur ngel teumpets.
i have them as well apricot color and yellow
The highlight of my garden are the azaleas. Like the Charles de Mills rose they bloom spectacularly only once in early to mid June then they are gone for another year leaving me to look forward to next year.
We’ve been to England two times now, and there is nothing that I love better than an English or cottage garden! We are going to try up out garden game and are working with a neighbor who is a landscape designer to slowly make it so. A top feature for me is to have a small arbor gate with a flower growing on it. I’m excited for these journals to get ideas and to walk down a memory lane of your books. Thank you!
I live on Prince Edward Island. Oh it’s so hard to pick favourites – lilacs, peonies, foxglove, lavender, pansies. I better stop.😊
Love the sentiment & the beautiful watercolours. Cheers from Montréal
Reminds me of the Gamache series: blooms only once a year, but gives a spectacular show. I look forward to it every year.
Love the reminiscing.