June in the Garden A Novel

By: Eleanor Wilde

Published by Random House, 2025-06-17

June views the world differently than others. A keen horticulturist, she can name every flower species in the alphabet (J begins with the Jamaica Plum). Yet, when it comes to people and relationships, she's still cultivating an understanding.

After her mother's unexpected death, June must vacate her home. But when the social worker urges her to move into a flat with no garden—clearly, that won’t work. With no other options, she embarks on her first solo trip in search of a father she’s only seen in a single old photograph.

When June unexpectedly shows up at her father’s door, he panics and turns her away, unwilling to jeopardize his idyllic life and new family. On her way out, June spies an unruly backyard and with nowhere else to go, quietly moves into her father’s yellow garden shed. Once again, she can spend her days surrounded by her beloved flowers. But when her father’s 12-year-old son—her half-brother—discovers June, she must choose between being seen for the first time or running away yet again.

A beautiful and heartwarming portrait of a young woman who looks at the world differently, June in the Garden encourages others to do the same. Because thinking unconventionally is not a flaw, it’s often the key to appreciating the wonder and bloom that surrounds us.