On her family's estate of Yewspring, Clara Eastwood is determined to pursue her love of science and the natural world-far from an easy endeavor in early 1800s England, when women are expected to be found in ballrooms and drawing-rooms, not out sketching plants. When her future at Yewspring is thrown into question by an unexpected death, Clara dedicates herself to becoming a botanist but soon encounters prejudices that stand in the way of her ambitions. When she finds herself caught between a budding romance with her village's land steward and a match with Yewspring's new heir, Clara must choose which of her loyalties-to her craft, her family, Yewspring, and her own happiness-will determine her future.