Book Club Discussion Questions
for The Walled Garden
Please note that the questions below may give away certain elements of the plot, so if you don’t want spoilers, it’s best to read the book before looking at them. Enjoy—and thank you again for reading!
- Have you ever traveled overseas by yourself, as Lucy does? How did you find the experience? What’s your favorite place to travel and why?
- Are you a gardener? Why or why not?
- Did you enjoy the poetry in The Walled Garden? Do you ever write poetry of your own?
- Lucy spends much of the book looking through old letters and documents looking for connections and trying to shed light on old secrets. Does this kind of treasure hunt appeal to you? Why or why not?
- Do you like the idea of sending messages using the Language of Flowers meanings for various plants instead of written words? If you could choose a meaning for your favorite flower, what would it be?
- Do you think it’s possible to get to know a person by visiting their garden? Why or why not?
- Have you ever been inside a walled garden? How did it make you feel?
- What do you think about Sam’s theory about ley lines? Do you believe there really are ancient prehistoric paths in Britain and other places?
- Given the era she lived in, what do you think about some of the decisions that Elizabeth Blackspear made?
- Do you think it’s possible for a modern person to truly understand the choices people—especially women—made in earlier times?
- Lucy makes impulsive decisions throughout the book. Have you ever made a spur-of-the-moment decision like that? How did it turn out?
- What did you think about Lucy’s disappearance?
- What did you think about Lucy’s relationship with Rajiv Resham?
- During her time in England, Lucy becomes more aware of the seasons. What’s your favorite season and why?
- Lucy’s goals for her life change over the course of the book. What do you think about her choices?
- Mrs. Beakins tells Lucy that secrets that are kept too long can take on a life of their own. Do you agree? Have you ever had the experience of uncovering something previously unknown about someone you know?
- Have you ever had a feeling of being instantly at home in a place you’ve never been before?
- Houses that have stood in the same place for hundreds of years like Priory House hold many stories—and secrets. What do you think are some of the other stories Priory House might have to tell?
- Are there any characters whose stories you would like to know more about? Sir Edmund? Elizabeth Blackspear? Sam? Sir Edmund’s brother, Rupert? Others?
