What is the significance of the garden in the story?

The garden represents a few different things. First, it symbolizes the garden of Eden, a perfect place of beauty and innocence that Alice isn't allowed to enter. Second, it represents Alice's sense of self.... she always too big or too small, too young or too old. The door of the garden acts as a bridge from childhood to adulthood. It's different for everyone, and we all struggle to make it from one status to another.