The Secret Garden
Read the following extract carefully, then answer the question below:
The flower-bed was not quite bare. It was bare of flowers because the perennial plants had been cut down for their winter rest, but there were tall shrubs and low ones which grew together at the back of the bed, and as the robin hopped about under them she saw him hop over a small pile of freshly turned up earth. He stopped on it to look for a worm. The earth had been turned up because a dog had been trying to dig up a mole and he had scratched quite a deep hole.
Mary looked at it, not really knowing why the hole was there, and as she looked she saw something almost buried in the newly-turned soil. It was something like a ring of rusty iron or brass and when the robin flew up into a tree nearby she put out her hand and picked the ring up. It was more than a ring, however; it was an old key which looked as if it had been buried a long time.
Mistress Mary stood up and looked at it with an almost frightened face as it hung from her finger.
"Perhaps it has been buried for ten years," she said in a whisper. "Perhaps it is the key to the garden!"
Question: What does the word "perennial" mean in this context, and why is it important for the reader to understand that the plants are "perennial"?
💡 Writing Tips
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To understand the meaning of 'perennial,' look for clues in the sentence that describes it, especially phrases like 'winter rest' and 'cut down.' Then, think about what kind of plants behave this way. Once you know the meaning, consider how this fact might offer a different perspective on the garden's condition, hinting at future possibilities.
📝 Sample Answer
In this context, 'perennial' refers to plants that live for more than two years, typically returning to grow each spring after a period of dormancy, or 'winter rest.' It is important for the reader to understand that the plants are 'perennial' because it subtly suggests that despite the garden appearing 'bare of flowers' and neglected, there is still life and potential beneath the surface. This implies that the garden is not completely dead or beyond hope; instead, it is merely dormant, waiting for the right conditions—or a caring touch—to spring back to life. This idea of dormant life waiting to awaken parallels Mary's own developing character and foreshadows the garden's eventual restoration.
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