THE MEANING OF THE GARDEN 117 



this happy relation is rare. Why can we not make it less infre- 

 quent? What is wrong that so often are heard complaints, not 

 praises, of one's gardener? Whose fault is it? With the interest 

 of gardening there should be more friendship between employer 

 and employed. 



Tell me, you who lean upon your garden gate (if in this day, 

 when we are bereft of that necessity the fence, you are so for- 

 tunate as to possess a garden gate to lean upon) , tell me, as you 

 stand there of a summer's evening in friendly intercourse with 

 your neighbor, does not your talk always lead to some aspect 

 of horticulture — to flowers, shrubs, trees? Is there a more 

 thrilling rivalry than that of the appearance of your bit of land 

 as compared to his? What of the traveler who sits across the 

 aisle from you upon a railway journey: if he holds in his hand a 

 seed list, a garden book, are you not drawn to him? Do you 

 not long to talk with him, to hear him recite his interests, his 

 experiences in the beloved region of growing things? 



It need not be a book, a list; it need not be a great garden; a 

 single plant, a window box in the city street, a cluster of flowers 

 — all differences fall away, all class feeling (which Heaven 

 knows is as strong in our country as in any other) melts be- 

 tween those who meet upon the gardening plane. Oh, if all of 

 those who spend to-day only for things might but see this, 

 might realize the full significance of the exchanging of the love 

 of inanimate objects for the blessed passion for gardening! If 

 this should come, what fervor of delight, what benediction of 

 true comiradeship would be theirs and ours! WTiat a step for- 

 ward should we then take in true democracy! 



I will tell you what I think : the love of gardening, the love of 

 all the heavenly beauty of the earth, kindles within the meanest 

 of us the holiest of fires. And when that is aflame, it must warm 

 our neighbor. We cannot help being friendly and useful where 



