The Gardener
The gardener belongs to the oldest trade in the world. The Bible says that when God made the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, He put them into a beautiful garden He had made in Eden, to care for it and look after it. So Adam was the first gardener, and the poet Tennyson speaks of him and Eve as “the grand old gardener and his wife”. Gardeners should be proud of their work, for it is the oldest of all.
A good gardener has to have a good deal of knowledge. He must know plants-what they are good for, what kind of soil and climate they like, how they grow. He must know that potatoes like sandy soil, and will not grow in heavy clay; that roses like clay, and will want a lot of water; that other plants must be kept dry; and so on, and so on.
He must also know a lot about soils, and how to mix them to suit different plants. And he must know the different kinds of manures, and how and when to use them.
He has to study the habits of different plants, for if he treats them all alike some will be sure to die. He must know which should be pruned, and which not, and when the pruning is to be done. He must know the seasons of the year-when to sow, when to expect the flowers, and when the fruit and he must know something of the signs of the weather, or his plants may be killed by frost if they are not sheltered, dried up by the hot sun, or rotted by too much rain.
To be a good gardener, you must have certain virtues. A gardener needs patience. He must be willing to wait for plants to grow, flowers, and fruit. It is no use digging up your plants every day to see how they are growing. A gardener needs foresight. He must be able to look ahead and plan beforehand for the changing seasons. He must be industrious, for his work is heavy: and he must be methodical and regular in doing his work.
A gardener’s life should be a happy one; for it is quiet and thoughtful, and he is always surrounded with beautiful things.
