The Forgotten Garden was first published in July of 2008 by Allen & Unwin in Australia, and in April 2009 Atria Books in the United States. The story behind The Forgotten Garden was inspired by the author’s own family history. Morton’s grandmother discovered on her 21st birthday that she was adopted, having previously believed she was her parents’ biological child. She in turn, did not tell anyone this news until she was an old woman and confided in her three adult daughters. This bit of family lore inspired the events surrounding the character of Nell, who also discovers her adoption on her 21st birthday.
Another source of inspiration that the author has previously noted is the Lost Gardens of Heligan, located near the village of Mevagissey in Cornwall. The gardens were created in the late 18th-early 19th century on the Heligan estate and, much like the forgotten garden of the story, were neglected after the First World War.
