A Fig at the Gate: The Joys of Friendship, Gardening and The Gaining of Wisdom

In A Fig at the Gate, author Kate Llewellyn, now in her seventies, embraces a new phase in her life, asking the question, ‘How does one live well?’ Following the joyful crafting of her gardens in the Blue Mountains (The Waterlily) and north of Wollongong (Playing with Water), Kate creates a new garden near the sea in Adelaide, planting olives, plums, limes and blood oranges, learning how to keep poultry, setting a duck on eggs. Delight and enrichment come with the learning of new skills, being close to family and old friends, long companionable beach walks, rediscovering old recipes, food and wine. Wise and joyful, accepting what she cannot change while relishing what she has, Kate shares the beauties and frailties of the human condition and shows us what the gifts of ageing can bring. ‘I strongly feel that A Fig at the Gate is a book that is needed as we all sift and sort these things in our lives.’ Belinda Jeffery.