In the late 1960s, Olivia Harrison journeyed across Europe as a young backpacker before her life would become intertwined with that of George Harrison, the former Beatle. During a solo visit to Rome’s Borghese Gallery, she encountered Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s marble sculpture “Apollo and Daphne,” an experience that left a lasting impression on her.

The sculpture, created between 1622 and 1625, depicts a dramatic moment from Ovid’s “Metamorphoses.” It captures the climax of a myth in which Apollo, struck by a golden arrow from Cupid, falls in love with the nymph Daphne. Daphne, in turn, is hit by a leaden arrow that causes her to recoil from Apollo’s advances. As Apollo pursues her, Daphne transforms into a laurel tree, her physical form morphing into branches, leaves, and bark—an intricate moment frozen in marble. Harrison described the sculpture as “magical” and “mystical,” noting its delicate craftsmanship and the way it conveyed a sense of the cosmic through the merging of human and natural forms.

Raised in California, Harrison did not come from a rural or forested background; her early experience with gardening was limited to cultivating gladiolas with the Girl Scouts. Nonetheless, the sculpture’s depiction of transformation and beauty struck a deep chord, symbolizing a connection between humanity and nature that would resonate throughout her life.

After returning to Los Angeles, Harrison met George Harrison in 1974 while working at A&M Records. They wed four years later and settled at Friar Park, an expansive Victorian estate near London that had fallen into severe neglect. Together, they undertook extensive restoration and gardening efforts to revive the grounds. George Harrison described himself as “a gardener who writes songs on the side,” embracing the estate as a place for creative and personal renewal.

This month, Olivia Harrison is releasing “The Third Eye,” a book featuring photographs taken by George in the 1960s. While many of the images focus on the Beatles, a substantial section showcases Friar Park, capturing the couple’s connection to their surroundings. Olivia recounted George’s habit of spending quiet nights in the estate’s gardens, appreciating the potential and beauty seen in darkness when imperfections fade from view.

Olivia Harrison credits her late husband’s visionary approach to art and nature, recalling both his pioneering musical experiments and his photographic eye. She remains an active partner in caring for the gardens they cultivated together, reflecting on George’s legacy in the trees and landscapes that now flourish. Since his death in 2001, she finds daily solace in the natural world they nurtured, expressing gratitude for the harmony between art, life, and nature embodied in Friar Park.

Returning to Rome regularly, Harrison continues to visit Bernini’s “Apollo and Daphne,” describing the sculpture as an enduring source of inspiration. For her, the transformation frozen in marble foretold her own life’s journey, where the boundary between human and natural beauty remains fluid. The image of a woman becoming a tree encapsulates her profound sense of connection to the environment and to the shared creative spirit she experienced with her husband.