The Secret Garden · Character

Ben Weatherstaff

A gruff old gardener with rheumatism and a dry tongue, who loved the late mistress's roses and has been secretly tending her walled garden for years.

supporting

Also known as old Ben Weatherstaff, old Ben, Weatherstaff

First appearance: VII: The Key of the Garden

As a supporting figure in The Secret Garden, Ben Weatherstaff is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Ben is the grumpy head gardener who bluntly tells Mary they are alike in temperament.

In the storyMarthaOpen this moment free

Ben Weatherstaff keeps the grounds at Misselthwaite and keeps his own counsel, answering questions with grunts until a robin or a rose softens him. He was fond of Colin's mother, and when she asked him to care for her roses if she ever went away, he obeyed her order over the master's, climbing the wall once a year until his rheumatics stopped him. His stubborn loyalty and his grudging respect for Mary make him the garden's oldest witness and its most reluctant ally.

See Ben Weatherstaff in Martha Book page

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Character Web

12 connections

A slice of how Ben Weatherstaff sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Other

Character groups

Misselthwaite Manor household
Protagonist

+7 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because Mary consciously chooses her own burgeoning joy and independenc…

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Relationships

Mary Lennox
friendship · positive
Ben is a gruff but kind gardener who initially clashes with Mary but later becomes her… How this plays out →
Colin Craven
friendship · positive
Dickon Sowerby
friendship · positive
Mary Lennox
friendship · positive
Ben is a gruff but kind gardener who initially clashes with Mary but later becomes her… How this plays out →
Colin Craven
friendship · positive
Dickon Sowerby
friendship · positive
Mary Lennox
friendship · positive
Ben is a gruff but kind gardener who initially clashes with Mary but later becomes her… How this plays out →
Colin Craven
friendship · positive
Dickon Sowerby
friendship · positive

Mary Lennox
Ben is a gruff but kind gardener who initially clashes with Mary but later becomes her ally in the garden.
Colin Craven
Ben Weatherstaff, the old gardener, develops a protective fondness for Colin and helps him discover his strength.
Dickon Sowerby
Ben respects Dickon's way with animals and plants, treating him as a fellow nature enthusiast.
Mary Lennox
Ben is a gruff but kind gardener who initially clashes with Mary but later becomes her ally in the garden.
Colin Craven
Ben Weatherstaff, the old gardener, develops a protective fondness for Colin and helps him discover his strength.
Dickon Sowerby
Ben respects Dickon's way with animals and plants, treating him as a fellow nature enthusiast.
Mary Lennox
Ben is a gruff but kind gardener who initially clashes with Mary but later becomes her ally in the garden.
Colin Craven
Ben Weatherstaff, the old gardener, develops a protective fondness for Colin and helps him discover his strength.
Dickon Sowerby
Ben respects Dickon's way with animals and plants, treating him as a fellow nature enthusiast.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Ben Weatherstaff in VII: The Key of the Garden

In the story

Ben Weatherstaff appears across 11 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Martha
Ben is the grumpy head gardener who bluntly tells Mary they are alike in temperament. He introduces her to the robin and mentions the secret garden.
The Cry in the Corridor
Mentioned as surly and avoiding Mary; his robin leads Mary to the garden wall.
VII: The Key of the Garden
Ben speaks to Mary about the coming spring, the stirring earth, and the robin's knowledge of the secret garden, which has been locked for ten years.
IX: The Strangest House Anyone Ever Lived In
Referenced by Mary as someone who could tell if the garden's wood is alive, and as a potential source of seeds.
The Nest of the Missel Thrush
Mentioned as one of the five people Mary likes.
I Am Colin
Ben is referenced in Mary's story to Colin about the robin and the garden.
Ben Weatherstaff
Discovers the children in the garden from his ladder, expresses anger and threatens Mary.
When the Sun Went Down
Reveals his secret care of the garden over the years and expresses gruff admiration for Colin's progress.
Magic
Grumbles about rheumatics and chanting, but secretly pleased by Colin's strength; follows the procession and keeps a sharp lookout.
The Curtain
Mentioned indirectly through the robin's perspective, but not directly present in this chapter.
XXVI: “It’s Mother!”
Ben observes Colin's improved legs and shoulders, commenting on his growth.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Ben Weatherstaff unlock in the free preview.

See Ben Weatherstaff in VII: The Key of the Garden

See Ben Weatherstaff in Martha