Polly Richards

Hello, fellow gardeners, storytellers, and nature enthusiasts! I’m excited to welcome you to my very first blog post as the author of Adele and the Whispering Garden. Today, I’m sharing the inspiration behind the book and why I felt the need to bring this story to life for children and families.

To start, Adele and the Whispering Garden isn’t just a story; it’s a piece of my heart. As my love for gardening grew, I came to believe that nature has a voice, a language all its own, and if we take the time to listen, we can learn so much from it. Growing up in the Chicago area, my earliest memories of gardening trace back to my great aunt’s backyard in the Beverly neighborhood, where an English-style garden invited a child to run around, hide behind the arbor, or sit quietly by the pond. At home, my mother kept a garden behind the garage, where we enjoyed a yearly harvest of rhubarb—a special treat when she would make a compote to have over ice cream.

As a teenager, I watched our neighbors’ garden flourish, always full of life and color. I spent countless secret hours there, marveling at how flowers bloomed, vegetables grew, and the earth itself seemed alive. It was in those moments, surrounded by nature’s wonders, that I felt like I could truly hear its whispers. Yet, despite being drawn in by those quiet murmurs, I didn’t give them the attention they deserved until later in life. It wasn’t until adulthood that I truly embraced the magic of the garden and listened to what it had to teach me.

Gardening eventually became more than just a pastime for me—it grew into a passion and a way of life. As time went on, I found myself longing to share that magic with others, particularly with children, who have such a natural curiosity about the world. I wanted them to experience the wonder I felt as a child, getting their hands dirty and discovering the joy of nurturing a plant from seed to blossom. But beyond that, I also wanted to share an important message: our responsibility to care for the earth and all the beauty it holds.

Adele and the Whispering Garden was born from that desire. I wanted to create a story that wasn’t just about planting seeds in the ground but also about planting seeds of kindness, curiosity, and environmental awareness in young minds. I envisioned a garden that could come to life and speak to a child like Adele—guiding her, teaching her, and revealing the secrets of nature that we sometimes overlook in our busy lives.

The more I wrote, the more I realized that this book wasn’t just for children; it was for the child in all of us. It’s a reminder that the world is full of wonder if we just take the time to look—and listen. It’s also a call to action, urging us to treat our planet with care and respect, starting with something as simple as planting a seed.

I hope that by reading Adele and the Whispering Garden, children and their families will feel inspired to step outside, explore the natural world, and embark on their own gardening adventures. Gardens are magical places where things grow, where we can connect with the earth, and where we can learn valuable lessons about life, patience, and nurturing. And who knows? You might even hear a whisper or two while you’re there.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing more about the story, my love of gardening, and tips on how we can all make the earth thrive together.

May your garden grow and the earth thrive,

Polly Richards
Author of Adele and the Whispering Garden

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