Rob Carswell has recently relocated to the Wiltshire village of Essington St Mary, although the reality is proving less peaceful than he had expected. For one thing, there's a nuisance of a dog to deal with but then he discovers the plight of neighbour Ilsa. Illness has taken its toll and she is also dealing with the bullying tactics of the builder intent on destroying the character of the neighbourhood. Amy Hatherall is feeling a little adrift following the death of her mother, but a final, handwritten letter leads her in an unexpected direction to a great-aunt she never knew she had in Wiltshire. As the line of old hawthorn trees begin to blossom, they watch over as romance and new beginnings bloom for the residents of the close.