Misselthwaithe Manor
The author vividly portrays Archibald Craven's manor when Mary first arrives there. The entrance hall of the mansion is described in detail: the material the door is made with, what is situated on the walls of the hall, the way the floor is designed. These descriptions in their grandeur are contrasted with the small, weak Mary who is not accustomed to such a place and is being led into an unknown chapter of her life.
The Moor
The moor features prominently in the landscape of the Yorkshire manor and is a far cry from the humid, tropical climate in India that Mary has known her whole life. For this reason, Mary, still in her sour phase, feels a irrational hatred towards the moor. When she expresses this to Martha, the servant describes why she loves the moor so much, explaining: “It's none bare. It's covered wi' growin' things as smells sweet. It's fair lovely in spring an' summer when th' gorse an' broom an' heather's in flower. It smells o' honey an' there's such a lot o' fresh air--an' th' sky looks so high an' th' bees an' skylarks makes such a nice noise hummin' an' singin.'”
Martha's animated description of the moor helps the reader understand how this aspect of the environment plays a big role in the local people's lives, and how it is common for people of Martha's class to have a close and deep connection with nature.
The Secret Garden
The moment Mary steps into the secret garden for the first time, we are shown this magical space through her delighted eyes. The garden is painted as “the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine,” with a brilliant assortment of plants, such as “long tendrils” of “climbing roses,” a “hazy mantle” of branches, and “wintry brown” grass. Most importantly the garden is described as having a powerful stillness from the lack of human presence and activity there over the past 10 years.
The Sunset
In Chapter 21, the children witness a magnificent sunset during Colin's very first time entering the secret garden. The beauty of the darkening sky is made all the more glorious by the triumph of Colin leaving his routine to embrace something new. The sun is portrayed as “deepening the gold of its lances” and the animals are personified as “going home” as the day slowly turns into night. Everywhere there is a peaceful stillness that makes the children pause and reflect on the magic of their day.
