Traces of a New Beginning is the first book in a triology about the unique history of the lost and rediscovered Gardens of Heligan. With loving attention to detail, the autor tells an atmospheric tale of four strong women from different centuries fighting for their happiness and love.
2021: In a bid to escape her problems, Londoner Lexi Davies moves to Cornwall to work as a volunteer in the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Lexi starts researching the history of the gardens and stumbles across the sisters Damaris and Alison Tremayne, who grew up at Heligan House with their cousin Henry Hawkins Tremayne and his wife Harriet following the death of their parents in 1781.
Henry Tremayne has long been planning to convert his estate into a great garden in the ‘modern’ style. As his plan for a grand tour of the gardens of southern England begins to take shape, Damaris demonstrates not only a surprising knowledge of botany but also a talent for quick sketches. Tremayne decides to take Damaris with him on the tour as his assistant. Harriet is jealous of the close working relationship between the two. But Damaris is already in love with someone else – the Tremaynes’ gamekeeper Julian.