The Secret Garden
Ben Weatherstaff
The old gardener
A gruff old gardener with a soft heart, who has secretly cared for the walled garden since Mrs. Craven died.
Ben Weatherstaff is the old gardener at Misselthwaite. He is crusty, outspoken and stubborn, and when he first meets Mary he tells her they are both as sour as they look. He loves his robin, and calls it the only friend he has.
Under the gruff exterior he is sentimental, loyal and tender. He was fond of Mrs. Craven, whose garden he has kept alive in secret, and the sight of it coming back to life moves him more than he will say.
“What art tha' doin' here? This is no place for idle little lasses.”
In the story
Contains spoilers.
Ben meets Mary in the kitchen gardens and shows her the robin, which has taken a fancy to her. Later he appears at the top of a ladder against the garden wall, furious at the trespassers. Seeing Colin in his wheelchair, he calls him a poor cripple with crooked legs.
Colin throws off his blanket and stands. Ben climbs down with tears on his face and tells Colin he has his mother's gray eyes. He becomes one of the circle in the garden, helping the children keep the secret until Colin can walk to his father.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
