‘On The Birth Of His Son Families when a child is born Want it to be intelligent. I through intelligence Having wrecked my whole life Only hope the baby will prove Ignorant and stupid. Then he will crown a tranquil life By becoming a Cabinet Minister.’
‘Gardeners like everyone else live second by second and minute by minute. What we see at one particular moment is then and there before us. But there is a second way of seeing. Seeing with the eye of memory not the eye of our anatomy calls up days and seasons past and years gone by.’
‘A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.’
‘A fine garden being no less difficult to contrive and order well than a good building.’
‘Without a sense of caring there can be no sense of community.’
‘If you have a vision do something with it.’
‘Always be nice to secretaries. They are the real gatekeepers in the world.’
‘In life it is not what you know or who you know that counts it is both!’
‘Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.’
‘Build your reputation by helping other people build theirs.’