Phyllis Gardner (British writer)

In 1908, Gardner enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art and specialised in the craft of wood carving, but also had a fondness for drawing and painting animals.

[5][6][7] In later years Phyllis and Delphis carved intricate chess sets, one of which forms part of the Metropolitan Museum collection.

[11] Gardner's memoir about her relationship with Brooke along with their letters to one another were deposited by Delphis in the British Library in 1948 and closed to access for 50 years.

According to a 2015 biography, Brooke's letters to Gardner depict a cruel side which his literary executor Edward Marsh tried to hide.

[9] Indeed, Brooke's circle felt that Marsh's depiction of an exemplary young man cut down in his prime was a misleading portrayal of a more complex figure.