Following the break-up of his parents' marriage, Garden, together with his mother, moved to Manchester and then to the Isle of Man, where he attended Douglas High School for Boys,[4][2] whilst his father and two of his sisters emigrated to New Zealand.
He flew in concert with Mrs Victor Bruce from Jask, Iran, to Rangoon, Burma, part of her record-setting air-sea circumnavigation.
[8] During his time operating for United Airways Limited Captain Garden was instrumental in the establishment of scheduled commercial air services from Hall Caine Airport, Isle of Man, during the mid 1930s.
[15] After it was discovered that most of "Oscar Garden: A Tale of One Man’s Love of Flying" had been plagiarised, it was withdrawn from publication and all copies removed from libraries and museums.
Graeme Hoete, an acclaimed Māori artist, has created a mural of Oscar Garden, now on display at Tauranga Airport, New Zealand.