Without Nancy Tennant, Humphrey Waterfield’s exquisite horticultural creations might never have existed. The two of them were life-long partners and together created ‘the most beautiful small garden in England’ at Hill Pasture in Essex and collaborated on the restoration of the gardens at Le Clos du Peyronnet, Menton, France. It was Nancy who kept Hill Pasture going during the Second World War, and this garden and subsequently Le Clos became their earthly paradise, publicly acclaimed works of art and a consolation for the loss and trauma of their pasts. The gardens were a smokescreen for their deepest feelings, but one day, the smoke would begin to clear and the truth of who and how they really loved would be plain to see. It wasn’t what it appeared to be, at all.
This challenging love story of paradise lost, found and lost again is set against the backdrop of the 20th century, the traumas of two world wars, polarised British politics, the changing position of women in society, and the transformative power of nature’s beauty on the human heart.