HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW

UK, 1991, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran, Anne Stellybrass, Tim Wylton, Marjorie Mason, Catherine Russell, Peter Birch, Ralph Nossek.
Directed by Brian Farnham.

This is a short story in the television series of Agatha Christie mysteries with David Suchet as Poirot. It takes its title from the nursery rhyme, Mary, Mary… Which, of course, is an alert for the audience to discover who is the quite contrary Mary in this story.

At the opening, Poirot is present at the Chelsea Flower Show where a Pink Rose is named after him. There he encounters an elderly woman in a wheelchair who gives him a seed packet for stocks. He is puzzled, intends to visit her, only to find that she is dead.

There is also an opening at the Russian Embassy in London, and an introduction to a young woman with an official. She is then seen to be the companion of the dead woman. And, it emerges that she is to inherit the fortune of the dead woman. Also in the house are relatives, husband and wife, her name Mary. There is also the doctor who cares for the elderly woman.

Poirot attends the Flower Show with Hastings but Hastings has an allergy, continually sneezing, so Miss Lemon accompanies Poirot on his investigations. Chief Inspector Japp attends the Flower Show, knowledgeably, and becomes involved in the solution of the murder, the main suspect being the young woman with the Russian connection, who has many icons in her room, and has taken refuge in the Russian church.

There is a mystery as to how the elderly woman was poisoned, but the clue is in the garden, not cockles but oyster shells, Miss Lemon visiting a fishmonger to get evidence which leads to Mary, buying oysters, giving them to the elderly later lady as a secret treat, and administering the poison through these. And the mystery of the empty seed packet – a hint at stocks, because Mary was speculating with the dead woman’s money.

Mary attempts to kill herself with weedkiller – but the audience knows that her alcoholic husband conceals his whiskey in that bottle! But a romantic ending with the young Russian woman United with the official from the Embassy.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie mysteries? The television series? With David Suchet as Poirot?

2. The British setting, London and Poirot’s flat, office? The Chelsea Flower Show? The visit to the home? Exteriors and interiors? The beauty of the garden? The Russian Embassy? The musical score?

3. The Russian background, the flags, the Embassy, images of Stalin, commentary about the Soviet Union? Katrina and her visit? The discussions with Nikolai? Audience suspicions?

4. Poirot and the Pink Rose, his being pleased, getting dressed, the scent, Hastings and his sneezing? The presentation of the rose in his name? The media? At the show, the encounter with Amelia Barrowby, her giving him the seed packet, the discussion? His puzzle, the empty packet?

5. The decision to visit Miss Barrowby will come in, leaving Hasting behind with his allergy, Miss Lemon and accompanying him?

6. The audience seeing Miss Barraby, old, impatient, demanding? Katrina as the heir? The Delafontaines in the house, Mary and the garden, the mail and her hiding the letter, her alcoholic husband? The doctor and his care? The meal? Miss Barrowby and her illness, her seizure, her death? Katrina running away?

7. Katrina, Russian, the icons in her room, her devotion? Poirot going to the Russian church and finding her?

8. Poirot and the visit, the silver bell in the garden, the shells? The discovery that Miss Barrowby had died? The discussion with Mary, with her husband? With the doctor? The strychnine?

9. The mystery of how the poison had been administered? The discussions with the doctor? Suspicions on Katrina?

10. Chief Inspector Japp, his presence of the flower show, knowledgeable about flowers? The surveillance of the house? The police in disguise? Japp later upbraiding them? His suspicions about Kristina, a clear solution?

11. Poirot, the nurse rhyme, silver bells and shells, Miss Lemmon and her visit to the fishmonger? Miss Barrowby secretly eating the oysters?

12. The confrontation in the garden, Mary welcoming, the tables turned, the clue about the seed packet, the flowers, stocks, the revelation of Mary’s speculation on the stock market, her resentment that Katrina was to inherit all the money in the house – and the garden? Miss Barrowby wanting to see the lawyer, to change her will, the note under threat?

13. The revelation of the truth, Mary and her attempt to escape, the police surrounding, her drinking the weedkiller – and the audience knowing that it was whiskey that her husband was drinking?

14. The romantic ending, Katrina and Nikolai together? The solution about Hastings’ allergy, the scent that Poirot used? And his smile of self-satisfaction?