The author uses the Torres-Thompson garden to symbolize Maureen and Scott’s relationship. At first, they have “la petite rainforest,” a large tropical garden which they planted “not long after moving in five years earlier, to fill up the empty quarter acre at the rear of their property” (11). Since they do not live in a tropical climate, it requires constant care from Pepe, the gardener, and lots of water to force it to thrive where it cannot live on its own. This represents a big expense, and as soon as they fire Pepe, the garden starts to die.

Similarly, Scott and Maureen’s relationship was seemingly idyllic when they had the money to spend on things to fill up the large empty space left by their lack of communication with each other. However, facing money constraints, their peaceful relationship starts to wither.

Notably, in Chapter 1, both Maureen and Scott approach the dying rainforest to try to save it. However, Maureen saw the chemicals Pepe used on the garden and “had been frightened off by the bottles and their warning labels” which undermine the sense of purity she treasures (11). Scott, overwhelmed by the work involved, “decided to forget about the tropical garden for the time being because it was in the backyard, after all, and who was going to notice?” The garden, as with their relationship, is too much work for them to tackle.