106 GARDENING FOR WOMEN 



a small amount of time to planning garden effects, 

 but family and social duties call her away. She 

 can only give general directions to the clever gar- 

 dener, and leave him to carry them out. Although 

 many men are skilled in growing fine specimen 

 plants, few are sufficiently well educated, or 

 possessed of the natural taste requisite to execute 

 their employer's wishes. 



I hope no one will suppose that, because this 

 book is intended to be a guide to lady gardeners, 

 I am "narrow-minded enough to think in a depreci- 

 ative way of men gardeners. Some of them are 

 personal friends whom I respect, esteem, and who, 

 I am aware, have done infinitely better work than 

 any lady has so far achieved. Many are not only 

 gardeners, they are artists as well. I have the 

 highest opinion of them and their profession. I 

 do feel strongly, however, that there is a large 

 field open to young gentlewomen anxious to take 

 up this work. There are many gardens, too, 

 where a change has necessarily to be made, and 

 the owners will benefit by substituting a lady in the 

 place of a man, as head gardener. 



I should like to draw the attention of employers 

 to two important points connected with this subject : 



1. A lady must be selected ; not a " would-be " 

 one. Only if she is this at heart, will she have 

 authority over men working for her. 



