From 1896 the von Arnims lived at Nassenheide in the Pomeranian countryside where Elizabeth took refuge from her household cares in her much-loved garden. Elizabeth and her German Garden was her first novel, written in 1898, and is semi-autobiographical. The protagonist refers to her husband as the Man of Wrath and her children, which were born in quick succession, as the April, May and June babies. It is written in the form of a year’s dairy with much attention paid to the changing seasons in the garden – ‘Oh, I could dance and sing for joy that the spring is here! What a resurrection of beauty there is in my garden, and of brightest hope in my heart! ….. I do sincerely trust that the benediction that is always awaiting me in my garden may by degrees be more deserved, and that I may grow in grace, and patience, and cheerfulness, just like the happy flowers I so much love.’
From 1896 the von Arnims lived at Nassenheide in the Pomeranian countryside where Elizabeth took refuge from her household cares in her much-loved garden. Elizabeth and her German…
