🌿 The Secret Garden – Chapter 6: Meeting Ben Weatherstaff
Mary couldn’t stop thinking about the garden.
Each day, she woke up early and visited the hidden place. She brought small tools and cleared more weeds and branches. The work made her feel stronger and happier.
One morning, while walking near the wall, she saw a man with a shovel. He was old and thin, with a sharp face and rough hands. His clothes were dusty, and his boots were muddy.
The robin flew down and landed on a branch between them.
“You again?” the old man said to the bird.
Mary stepped closer. “You talk to him too?”
He looked at her with surprise. “You’re the little girl from inside. You’ve got sharp eyes.”
“What’s your name?” Mary asked.
“Ben Weatherstaff,” he said. “I take care of the gardens—when I’m not too stiff to move.”
“I like your robin,” Mary said.
“He’s not mine,” Ben said. “But he knows I’m friendly. He likes you too, I can tell.”
Mary smiled. She didn’t often smile, but she felt safe around the old gardener.
“Do you know about the locked garden?” she asked suddenly.
Ben’s face changed. He looked serious.
“Everyone knows about it. It was locked up after Mrs. Craven died. Nobody’s been inside for ten years.”
“Do you think it’s dead?” Mary asked.
Ben shook his head. “Things grow, even when no one sees them. Nature’s full of secrets.”
Mary wanted to tell him that she had found the door. That she had the key. But something told her to wait.
Instead, she asked, “Could I learn to plant flowers? To take care of them?”
Ben looked at her. “You’re small, but you’ve got fire in you. Maybe you could. But you’d need practice.”
He showed her how to hold a small spade and dig a hole. He pulled up weeds and explained the names of plants. Mary listened closely.
As they worked, the robin flew around them, singing.
“You’ve made a friend,” Ben said. “That robin’s a smart one.”
Mary felt proud. She didn’t have friends before—not even in India. But now she had a bird, a secret garden, and maybe even Ben.
That night, she lay in bed and smiled to herself.
She wasn’t lonely anymore.
📖 Glossary
| Word/Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Shovel | A tool used to dig or move dirt |
| Weeds | Wild, unwanted plants |
| Rough | Not smooth or gentle |
| Stiff | Difficult to move or bend |
| Spade | A small tool for digging |
| Practice | Doing something many times to get better |
| Fire in you | Energy, determination, or strong spirit |
❓ Comprehension Questions
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What does Mary do each day in the garden?
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Who does she meet near the wall?
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What is Ben Weatherstaff’s job?
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What does Ben say about the robin?
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What does Mary ask Ben to teach her?
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Why doesn’t Mary tell Ben about the door?
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How does Mary feel by the end of the chapter?
✅ Answers
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She works in the garden—cleaning and exploring.
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An old gardener named Ben Weatherstaff.
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He takes care of the gardens at Misselthwaite Manor.
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That the robin likes friendly people and seems to like Mary.
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How to plant flowers and care for plants.
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She wants to keep the garden a secret for now.
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She feels happy, safe, and not lonely anymore.
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