Mental Health and Resilience in the Emily Trilogy: Emily Byrd Starr and Cousin Jimmy through the Lens of Garden Therapy

In the Emily trilogy, among the characters struggling through arduous circumstances, Emily and Cousin Jimmy stand out because they hone their powers to overcome adversity through gardening. Applying the twenty-first-century concepts of resilience and gardening therapy, this paper analyzes the role that gardens and gardening play in the development of resilience and mental well-being that underpin—and are underpinned by—the creative endeavours of Emily and Cousin Jimmy.