When Mary Lennox is orphaned, she's sent to live at her uncle's manor on the Yorkshire Moors. There, the spoiled Mary, mockingly known as Mistress Mary Quite Contrary, at first finds life at Misselthwaite Manor to be dull. Most of the time, her uncle is either traveling or keeps to himself. And the house's many rooms are cold and quiet, though she sometimes hears the sound of crying at night.

But the grounds around the manor are a different story. In them, she discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. With the help of some new companions, Mary is determined to discover a way inside and bring the garden back to life. And in the process, Mary might transform more than just the garden.