Hardy was born in
Alderbury, Wiltshire, in 1872, and her father was a
pharmacist. She enrolled in the Sesame Garden and House for Home Life Training in
St John's Wood, which was founded by
Annet Schepel in 1899, taught in line with the child-centred pedagogical theories of German educator
Friedrich Fröbel and was modelled on
Pestalozzi-Froebel Haus in Germany. After graduating, by 1901 Hardy had moved to Edinburgh where she became acquainted with social reformers of the Secular Positivist group, including Alexander Barbour,
Patrick Geddes,
Edith Oliphant and
Alexander Whyte, In 1906, Hardy opened the St Saviour’s Child Garden in the densely packed slums of Canongate in
Edinburgh’s Old Town. It was the second free nursery provided for the poor children in Edinburgh and was open until 1977. She wrote about the mother's of the children she taught, stating that "with the cramped house space, burdened restricted lives and big families it is hardly to be expected that they will have energy, insight, time and patience to raise them well." A copy of the booklet is held in the collection of the
Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh. which was introduced by the American educator
Kate Douglas Wiggin. The book covered the period from November 1906 to April 1912, recounted the daily activities at St Saviour’s Child Garden and shared Hardy's concerns for the slum children she taught. Due to ill health, Hardy retired in 1928 and was succeeded by
Ursula Herdman. She died in 1947. == Legacy ==