# Dickon Sowerby — The Secret Garden character guide > Dickon Sowerby in The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Our Dickon, X Dickon, Dickon lad, Susan Sowerby's boy Dickon **First appearance:** 0009-x-dickon ## Snapshot A moorland boy who charms wild creatures and speaks Yorkshire to foxes, robins, and ponies, and who teaches two shut-away children how to dig. ## Who they are Dickon Sowerby is one of twelve in a cottage where porridge is thin, yet he moves through the world as if it belonged to him and he to it. He found a wild pony on the moor, fed it bread, and made a friend; animals follow him the way other children follow games. His easy, unhurried kindness gives Mary and Colin a model of what it looks like to be at home in a living world, and his hands are the ones that will wake the garden. ## Relationships ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _friendship_ Dickon is Mary's gentle, nature-wise friend who teaches her about animals and gardening, grounding her in Yorkshire. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _friendship_ Dickon becomes Colin's trusted friend and mentor, helping him gain physical strength and joy in nature. ### [Martha Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/martha_sowerby) _family_ Dickon and Martha are loving siblings who share a close bond and support each other's work at the manor. ### [Ben Weatherstaff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/ben_weatherstaff) _friendship_ Ben respects Dickon's way with animals and plants, treating him as a fellow nature enthusiast. ### [Mrs. Medlock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_medlock) _professional_ Mrs. Medlock tolerates Dickon's presence at the manor due to his usefulness with animals and gardening. ### [Mrs. Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_sowerby) _family_ Dickon is Mrs. Sowerby's son, sharing her deep connection to nature and her nurturing spirit. ### [Archibald Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/archibald_craven) _social_ Archibald briefly meets Dickon and is impressed by his wholesome influence on Colin and Mary. ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _friendship_ Dickon is Mary's gentle, nature-wise friend who teaches her about animals and gardening, grounding her in Yorkshire. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _friendship_ Dickon becomes Colin's trusted friend and mentor, helping him gain physical strength and joy in nature. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _friendship_ Dickon becomes Colin's trusted friend and mentor, helping him gain physical strength and joy in nature. ### [Martha Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/martha_sowerby) _family_ Dickon and Martha are loving siblings who share a close bond and support each other's work at the manor. ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _friendship_ Dickon is Mary's gentle, nature-wise friend who teaches her about animals and gardening, grounding her in Yorkshire. ## In the story ### [Martha](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/iv-martha) Dickon is introduced through Martha's stories as a kind, animal-loving boy who tames a wild pony and knows the moor intimately. Mary becomes curious about him. ### [VI: “There Was Some One Crying—There Was!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/vi-there-was-some-one-crying-there-was) Mentioned by Martha as someone who enjoys rainy days and rescues animals. ### [VII: The Key of the Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/vii-the-key-of-the-garden) Martha mentions Dickon's love of the moor and his way with animals, and Mary says she likes Dickon though she has never seen him. ### [The Robin Who Showed the Way](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/viii-the-robin-who-showed-the-way) Mentioned by Martha as being delighted by stories of Mary, and as saying their cottage was good enough for a king. ### [IX: The Strangest House Anyone Ever Lived In](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/ix-the-strangest-house-anyone-ever-lived-in) Mentioned as an expert on flowers and gardening; Martha suggests he can buy tools and seeds for Mary. ### [The Nest of the Missel Thrush](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xi-the-nest-of-the-missel-thrush) Shows Mary how to prune dead wood and identify living plants. He is knowledgeable about gardening and nature, and agrees to come every day to help revive the secret garden. ### [XII: “Might I Have a Bit of Earth?”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xii-might-i-have-a-bit-of-earth) Mary meets Dickon for the first time and thinks he is beautiful. He leaves her a note with a picture of a bird on a nest and the message 'I will cum bak.' ### [I Am Colin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xiii-i-am-colin) Dickon is mentioned through his drawing of a missel thrush, which Mary interprets as a message of secrecy and friendship. ### [A Young Rajah](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xiv-a-young-rajah) Dickon is described by Mary as a boy who can charm animals and knows everything about the moor, sparking Colin's fascination. ### [Nest Building](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xv-nest-building) Dickon talks with Mary about Colin, suggests bringing him to the garden, and compares their secret plan to the robin building its nest. ### [XVI: “I Won’t!” Said Mary](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xvi-i-won-t-said-mary) Dickon works alongside Mary in the garden, teaching her to use tools and sharing his bond with animals. He is portrayed as kind, skilled, and a positive influence on Mary. ### [XVII: A Tantrum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xvii-a-tantrum) Mentioned by Colin as someone he wants to see and who might push his chair outside. ### [Tha' Munnot Waste No Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xviii-tha-munnot-waste-no-time) In the garden with his animals, plans to bring Colin outside and help him experience nature. ### [XIX: “It Has Come!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xix-it-has-come) Mentioned as the strong, trusty boy who will push Colin's carriage and who taught Mary about breathing fresh air; brought a newborn lamb. ### [XX: “I Shall Live Forever—and Ever—and Ever!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xx-i-shall-live-forever-and-ever-and-ever) Dickon pushes Colin's wheeled chair and provides steady, calm support. His intimate knowledge of nature and animals is highlighted, and he is trusted by Dr. Craven. ### [Ben Weatherstaff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxi-ben-weatherstaff) Works in the garden, reassures Colin about his legs, speaks of the robin's nesting habits. ### [When the Sun Went Down](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxii-when-the-sun-went-down) Supports Colin physically and emotionally, encouraging him with the 'Magic' of nature. ### [Magic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxiii-magic) Walks beside Colin during the procession, carries the lamb and rabbit, and listens to the chanting. ### [XXIV: “Let Them Laugh”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxiv-let-them-laugh) Dickon brings milk and buns from his mother, shows Colin how to roast potatoes and eggs in a stone oven, and learns exercises from Bob Haworth to help Colin build strength. ### [The Curtain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxv-the-curtain) Understood by the robin as a kindred spirit; his presence in the garden is calm and reassuring. ### [XXVI: “It’s Mother!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxvi-it-s-mother) Dickon brings his mother to the secret garden, his eyes lighting like lamps when she appears. ### [In the Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxvii-in-the-garden) Mentioned as part of the garden's magic that helped Colin recover. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/dickon_sowerby - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters