In a 1968 article Garner explained why he chose to set The Weirdstone of Brisingamen in a real landscape rather than in a fictional realm, remarking that "If we are in Eldorado, and we find a mandrake, then OK, so it's a mandrake: in Eldorado anything goes. But, by force of imagination, compel the reader to believe that there is a mandrake in a garden in Mayfield Road, Ulverston, Lancs, then when you pull up that mandrake it is really going to scream; and possibly the reader will too."Philip 1981. p. 25.
In a 1968 article Garner explained why he chose to set The Weirdstone of Brisingamen in a real landscape rather than in a fictional realm remarking that "If we are in Eldorado and we find a mandrake then OK so it's a mandrake in Eldorado anything goes But by force of imagination compel the reader to believe that there is a mandrake in a garden in Mayfield Road Ulverston Lancs then when you pull up that mandrake it is really going to scream; and possibly the reader will too"Philip 1981 p 25