126 MY SHRUBS 



is glad of it, as a poet is glad of all the poetry in the world. But 

 his own garden is not to be compared with them, any more than 

 his own wife with other women. It is there to be enjoyed for itself, 

 without any pride of possession, and as a place to rest from all 

 labours, even from those that have made it beautiful." 



That is a sound summary of what your garden should be to 

 you, and what mine has always been to me. Keep the instinct 

 for competition out of your garden, grudge no better man his 

 triumphs, learn from all who will be good enough to teach, and 

 if you find your plants becoming an anxiety rather than a rest or 

 joy, then look to yourself and change your hobby. Beyond all things 

 a garden is a place to forget your cares, not to breed them. I have 

 known gardens where the owner did the worrying and the gardeners 

 took their ease ; but this is to reverse the proper order. For their 

 credit and honour let the professionals be as careful and troubled 

 as possible : it is their duty ; but the amateur, if he be satisfied that 

 the paid worker is justifying his existence, must preserve a peaceful 

 mind. Above all, never call yourself " a great gardener," because, 

 since Adam, the great gardeners have been far fewer even than most 

 other great people, and not one man in a generation is worthy of 

 such praise. For my part, when kind women tell me that their 

 husbands or brothers are " great gardeners," I find myself a thought 

 prejudiced against those husbands and brothers, well knowing that 

 were such praise even approximately deserved, the objects of it 

 would possess a knowledge and have acquired a sense of perspective 

 to set their circle of admirers right in this matter. For gardening 

 is like all creative art : the more a workman knows of his subject and 

 the better, after life-long struggle, he has come to master his medium 

 and learn its capabilities, the less inclined will he be to take any 



