Our garden is putting in order by a man who bears a remarkably good character, has a very fine complexion, and asks something less than the first. The shrubs which border the gravel walk, he says, are only sweetbriar and roses, and the latter of an indifferent sort; we mean to get a few of a better kind, therefore, and at my own particular desire he procures us some syringas. I could not do without a syringa, for the sake of Cowper’s line. We talk also of a laburnum. The border under the terrace wall is clearing away to receive currants and gooseberry bushes, and a spot is found very proper for raspberries. ~ Letter to her sister Cassandra from Jane Austen, 8 February 1807.
As some of you know, I consider working in my garden as my therapy. Scenes in books I am writing are developed while tending my flower beds. Conversation between characters occur, and I tug out the most annoying weeds. I live in a relatively new house, the second person to move into this new subdivision. Behind us on this street, our lots dip down to an open field which must be maintained by the city and our HOA. Where others have let that part of their land just sit and be unproductive, I have developed a pollinator garden over the last two years. It includes American beauty berry shrubs and sweet spire at the bottom. Coming up the hill to the main yard, one finds pugester butterfly bushes, mixed with gauria (beeblossom), coneflowers, cat’s pajamas, columbine, ornamental onion, sage, etc. The hillside, when in bloom is all shades or red and purple. Both sides of my house also contain flower beds, as does a curved out area in the front with rhododendron, hydrangeas, verbena, weigela, bluebeards, phlox, lavender, and more pugsters. Again, shades of purple are the way I go. I have neighbors stopping all the time to ask about particular plants. Therefore it is only natural in my tale, Taming Lord Truist, that Lady Eleanor Truist has assumed the “redevelopment” of the Truist gardens in both London and the family estate. It is her first “task,” as the earl’s new mistress and she wishes him to be proud of her. She has decided to “color block,” the plantings with reds leading to pinks leading to a pale salmon and on to white. Such is a more modern approach, but images of gardens of the Regency era say such would be possible.
“The very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrecoverably gone.” – Jane Austen
Miss Eleanor Wilder has admired Lord Augustus Truist since she was a young girl. He had once protected her from an older boy who had meant to strike her. Now, she requires his protection again: This time, it is from her guardian, a cousin who means to marry Eleanor off to a man more that twice Ella’s age in order to keep Eleanor’s fortune in the family. As she will soon be one and twenty, Eleanor must convince Lord Truist to marry her himself, rather than see all her fortune go to a ne’er-do-well.
Lord Truist must save his family from disgrace and a touch of poverty by marrying an heiress of whom his mother approves, but he finds repugnant. However, when Miss Wilder offers him her fortune with no strings attached—a marriage of convenience—how can he refuse? As his countess, the lady would have the protection she required, and he would have the freedom to enjoy his long-time mistress, Miss Sarah Darling, without complaints.
How was he to know that the new Lady Truist not only loved him but was quite perfect in ways he did not realize he required?
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Excerpt:
Eleanor gladly retrieved the drawings from the small portfolio case she had held in the coach. She spread the papers upon the table. “I was thinking if we moved the spring daffodils to here,” she tapped the drawing, “and over here, as well as the geraniums, we could have color along the walkways year-round.”
Lady Lindmore studied the diagram. “If I were you, I would place the white lilies before the red and white roses. I like the blocks of color, but not all the patterns require the same touch. Variety. Move some of the white lilies behind the red geraniums. Some blocks should be a single color. Some a continuing color leading to a different block. I particularly enjoy the great burnet for their dark crimson flowers that bloom in June and July. They do require a partly shaded area, so closer to one of the two trees.”
“I could add some pinks and dark plum plants,” Eleanor suggested. “Perhaps some grape hyacinth. They are customarily a March to early April blooming flower. Or even some betonies. Their pink color would work well between the white and the reds, and they bloom from June to September.”
“Do not forget red poppies,” Lady Cora suggested. “I love poppies.”
“I just wish we could see it all right away,” Eleanor said. “His lordship says I may do something similar at his home in Lincolnshire, but I must first consider what differences in the temperature and soil are found there from what I knew in Hertfordshire.”
The dowager countess said, “I prefer flowers that return year after year, but I am also fond of bushes that serve all the seasons. I have a few chokeberry bushes I acquired from a friend whose grandparents brought roots here from America. They have only been in England for perhaps a hundred years, but I had never considered them previously. They are tough and hardy and fit well to a shrub border or they may be permitted to grow ten to twelve feet tall in a woodland context. My friends also shared the American version plants with me. The berries on the aronia plant are sweeter and are red. The chokeberries are bitter. What I like best is the shrub has white to pinkish flowers that appear in clusters in April. In the autumn, the foliage turns a bright scarlet color and then the fruit berries arrive and last through the winter.”
Eleanor added, “My mother grew what she called an ‘honesty’ lunaria. It is rather tall, and, if I recall correctly, it is a biennial, but it would have lovely lilac-colored flowers in the summer, followed by shiny silver translucent discs in the autumn. They looked as if one might see completely through them, but you could not in actuality.” She sighed heavily, but with satisfaction. “I am so grateful for all you two have done for me and for these lovely suggestions. I just pray my husband’s mother does not object.”
“You should permit the Dowager Lady Truist her say on some issues, but you are now Truist’s wife. It is your house. Your reign as the countess,” Lady Agnes Lindmore instructed.
If you have not already read Book 1 of the duo, grab you copy while you wait on the Taming Lord Truist release. Loving Lord Lindmore: Book 1 of the Strong Regency Women Duo will be reduce to $0.99 on Kindle until August 16, 2024. Read it first and see how Truist’s friendship with the Lindmores develops.
LADY CORA TAKES SOCIETY BY STORM . . .
Lady Cora Midland, a highly-spirited country beauty, offers no pretensions, which wins many admirers, despite her lack of knowledge on how to manage the beau monde. However, Matthew Harrington believes she is taking advantage of his elderly grandmother, and he means to put a stop to the girl.
LORD MATTHEW LINDMORE IS IN DENIAL . . .
Lindmore reluctantly assists his grandmother in bringing Lady Cora out in Society. Yet, what appeared to be a daunting task becomes a transformation the earl does not expect. He finds the woman as delightful, as do others in the haut ton. Yet…
When Lady Cora is on the the verge of marrying another, Lindmore fears time will expire before he can speak his own proposal.
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTFSRB7R?ref_=pe_93986420_775043100
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Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTLY847C?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
Audible (Virtual Voice Narration) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW4WLKGZ
GIVEAWAY: I have 5 eBook copies to give away to those who comment on any or all the promotional posts for TAMING LORD TRUIST‘s release. The eBooks will be presented on August 12, the release date.
Every Woman Dreams... 
I can picture all the flowers! Congratulations! Looking forward to reading book 2
Though it was still quite muddy, I worked on pulling weeds from my pollinator hill this past week. Good for both my quads and my willingness not to clobber the next door-to-door salesperson who wants to sell me lawn care when mine is the best looking lawn along the street, and I have a NO SOLICITATIONS sign prominently displayed as one comes up the walkway.
I completely love the way your own personal gardening experience has become part of you story in Taming Lord Truist! Now, I am especially excited to read it!
Gardening is my therapy, Jean.