The Happy Garden 



by their scientific training. They do their best, 

 but sadly and sslf -consciously ; they look mourn- 

 fully out on the world, and say : 



" It isn't really any good. The world is much 

 too busy for the likes of us ! " 



Many are tucked away or killed by crude colour, 

 for there still lingers in the gardening mind some- 

 thing of the bad tradition of bedding -out, and the 

 reproduction of old patterns, without regard to 

 the ground lines, or the background, or the view. 

 There are gardeners (and mine was one of them) 

 who are excellent virtuosi, but miserable composers. 

 They can carry out without really grasping the 

 significance of what they are doing, and often 

 grumble until the scheme is carried out. If it 

 succeeds, they forget the designer, as the actor 

 forgets the dramatist, and the musician the com- 

 poser. If it fails, they do not conceal their rejoic- 

 ing. The relation between gardener and owner is 

 very delicate and subtle. Sometimes it is difficult ; 

 always, if the owner lives in London, and can only 

 give intermittent care to the preparation of the 

 summer glowing festival. In that case, it is wise 

 to give your gardener glass-houses, and fire him 

 with an ambition to win prizes at the chrysanthe- 

 mum shows. That will, at least, keep him from 

 expending too much energy on the garden, and 



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