The song is, of course, “The Mad Gardener’s Song” by Lewis Carroll.

If you get close enough to put jam on his nose, does he go to sleep? (Alice in Wonderland’s mouse) :) I like where this is going, and hope, for the character, that he finds an exit. The guard was right about the armor. I’m not sure what the flaming sword and winged creature are from, but I like that they have possessed the gardener in some way.

I thought the Biblical reference was fairly obvious when I wrote it, especially given the title, but I guess not.

Ah, the seraphim with a flaming sword guarding the garden…nicely done. Very different interaction than I had imagined, but there’s the beauty of the cooperative writing process. Thanks for the sequel—very exciting stuff.

oh, now that you mention it..

I like the reference to eden, and I hadn’t imagined that any gardener would be able to survive in the Conservatory. It makes sense that the only one who did would be mad.