Symbolism of the Garden in the Narrative

In the excerpt from a fictional narrative, the protagonist contemplates the passage of time as she visits her childhood home, confronting memories both joyful and painful. She reflects on how the overgrown garden once tended by her late grandmother now mirrors the chaos of her current life.

“The once-pristine roses now tangled in wild ivy seemed to mock my neglect. Each petal that fell reminded me of words unsaid and moments unshared, fleeting like the afternoon sun slipping behind the trees. How had a place of warmth turned into a reminder of loss?”

Consider how the author uses the garden as a symbol to convey deeper themes in the text.