The Heirloom Garden

By: Viola Shipman

Narrated by: Nan McNamara, Lauren Ezzo

From the USA Today best-selling author of The Summer Cottage

In her inimitable style, Viola Shipman explores the unlikely relationship between two very different women brought together by the pain of war, but bonded by hope, purpose…and flowers.

Iris Maynard lost her husband in World War II, her daughter to illness and, finally, her reason to live. Walled off from the world for decades behind the towering fence surrounding her home, Iris has built a new family…of flowers. Iris propagates her own daylilies and roses while tending to a garden filled with the heirloom starts that keep the memories of her loved ones alive.

When Abby Peterson moves next door with her family — a husband traumatized by his service in the Iraq War and a young daughter searching for stability — Iris is reluctantly yet inevitably drawn into her boisterous neighbor’s life, where, united by loss and a love of flowers, she and Abby tentatively unearth their secrets, and help each other discover how much life they have yet to live.

With fascinating detail, Viola Shipman’s heartwarming story will charm listeners while resonating with issues that are so relevant today.

©2020 Viola Shipman (P)2020 HarperAudio

Heartwarming

What a precious story of love and hope. This author has a way of tugging at your heart like no other!

What a wonderful book

From the moment I started this book I felt like I was in magical place. It brought back so many memories of fine summers in my grandfathers and mothers garden .Excellent book.

Good story ; bad narration

The story was beautiful. What almost ruined it for me was the narration & all the he said, she said, he says, she says & I say. Let the voices tell the listener who is speaking for crying out loud!

Sweet

This is a sweet sad story and one that needs to be told. What a difference human kindness can be. What a blessing.

Heartwarming story but...

There were too many "he said she said" in this version. Perhaps the written version doesn't include those. Other than that I enjoyed the book.

Abby’s narrator was terrible.

The narrator speaking the pet of Abby was terrible. She read to you rather than becoming Abby. Iris’ narrator was terrific and was the reason I didn’t send the book back.

I have been a gardener

I miss gardening and seeing my little plants to grow to blooming flowers but this year I will plant again
Thank you Iris for inspiring me

Love the beautiful healing of the characters.

I loved it all. I hated when it ended. I want to keep reading about them and their lives.

Heartfelt story

I read to escape reality. I am hooked on all of Viola Shipman’s book. With each book I’ve read (audio) I’ve been able to relate to more than one character. Feelings of loss and grief are so different for everyone and yet I have been able to understand my grief better through these books.

The characters

The pace of the story and narration were a bit slow. But once I was in, I had to finish.