The Garden of Jane Delawney is the title song from the debut album of British folk rock band Trees it was released in April 1970. The album owes a debt to the contemporary works of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span. It is a delicate folk song that opens with harpsichord before Celia Humphris’ very soft, breathy voices launches into a painfully sad sounding song. Supported by softly picked nylon-string guitars, a second track of her voice is added in harmony as the multiple guitars become more active and the harpsichord returns. A very impressively arranged and delivered song–another of the band’s originals.
“The Garden of Jane Delawney” by The Trees explores the power of dreams, the consequences of desire, and the eternal nature of the human spirit. The song begins by emphasizing the influence and impact of a poet’s words, suggesting that they have a lingering effect on the listener. The ground upon which one walks seems insignificant compared to the weight of the poet’s voice. This sets the stage for the journey through dreams and into the garden of Jane Delawney.
The protagonist invites the listener to venture through their dreams into the darkest morning. It is a symbolic journey that transcends reality, as indicated by the mention of blood-filled streams. The garden represents a mystical realm, a place possibly beyond life and death. The cautionary advice not to pluck the fair rose as one passes hints at the dangers of succumbing to temptation. The consequences of giving in to desire are compared to a fire that engulfs one’s hair and turns their eyes to glass. This serves as a warning of the destructive nature of indulgence.
The lyrics also caution against lying in the willow’s shade to hear its weeping. The tears shed by the willow are described as being made of precious materials like gold and jade, signifying their value. Yet, indulging in these tears, or dwelling on sadness, will result in being overwhelmed and drowned. Jane Delawney is introduced as a character who had unfulfilled dreams. The flow of her dreams symbolizes the life force of her lover. From this, it can be inferred that Jane’s dreams and her lover are intertwined in some way. The song suggests that her lover’s life force, or essence, is what nourished her dreams.
The lyrics further emphasize the eternal nature of Jane’s dreams and the garden itself. The garden is described as a place where the sun’s purifying beam never shines, indicating a sense of permanence and isolation. The spirit of Jane’s dream is believed to live on indefinitely in the garden. Overall, “The Garden of Jane Delawney” communicates the idea that dreams hold a deep significance in one’s life, shaping and connecting them to something larger than themselves. It also highlights the potential dangers of desire and the lasting impact of unfulfilled dreams.
