• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Carol J. Michel

Award winner author of gardening humor books

  • About
    • Contact
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Shop
    • Gardening Humor
    • Children’s Books
    • New – The Halloween Hare
  • Speaking
    • Upcoming Speaking Engagements
  • Social
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
  • Gardening Humor
  • Children’s
  • All Books

May Dreams Gardens

Would You Rather Be An Excellent Gardener or A Successful Gardener?

May 19, 2010 By Carol Michel 28 Comments

I read a Dale Carnegie quote earlier this week and my thoughts turned to gardening, as they always do.

Before you read the quote, take a minute to answer this question:

Would you rather be an excellent gardener or a successful gardener?

I suspect most of us would like to be a successful gardener but how would that success be measured? If we chose to be an excellent gardener, how would we define what “excellence” is?

Dale Carnegie provides an answer that may influence those who chose “successful” to change their choice to “excellent”.

“Success bases our worth on a comparison with others. Excellence gauges our value by measuring us against our own potential. Success grants its rewards to the few but is the dream of the multitudes. Excellence is available to all living things but is accepted by the few. ~ Dale Carnegie

We are all tempted to look over the garden fence into our neighbor’s garden to compare our gardens to theirs. Who has fewer weeds? Better flowers? Nicer shrubs? Taller trees?

But where do such comparisons lead?

They can and often do lead to us thinking or making negative comments about the neighbor’s garden and his or her gardening ability if we think in comparison that our own gardens are lacking. “If I had the kind of time she has…” “Well, if I spent that kind of money…” “His flowers are nice, but he seems to have no sense of color…”

Somehow, getting caught up in these types of criticisms and put downs is often how we justify our own level of success in the garden, whether we are truly successful or not.

But if we strive for excellence as a gardener, defined as reaching our own potential, then comparisons to others and their gardens are no longer necessary. We can measure our excellence by how close we came to our own potential.

And what is our potential?

Our potential as gardeners ebbs and flows depending on the time, resources, knowledge and money we have to invest in the garden at any given time. These can all be influenced by our own health, the demands of family, the demands of work and even the temperament of Mother Nature in a given season.

As our potential changes, so will our gardens, and so will our definition of excellence.

When we strive for excellence, we no longer need to make comparisons to see if our garden is better than our neighbor’s garden. We just need to look within ourselves and ask if our garden reflects back our full potential as a gardener at that point in time.

If we can do that, garden to the fullest potential that we have at a given time, then we can and should consider ourselves to be excellent gardeners.

And thank goodness there is enough space in the garden of life for everyone to be excellent.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: gardening, thoughts turn to gardening

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy says

    May 19, 2010 at 2:57 am

    Oh, excellent post! Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Patsy Bell says

    May 19, 2010 at 3:00 am

    A very thoughtful post from a very wise gardener. This was, really, truly, a delightful blog.

    Reply
  3. Mr. McGregor's Daughter says

    May 19, 2010 at 3:17 am

    Amen, sister! It sounds like striving for excellence is the key to happiness, in and out of the garden.

    Reply
  4. heather @ what's blooming this week says

    May 19, 2010 at 3:18 am

    wow. You spoke to my heart as a gardener who has limited time and limited space to be successful in many eyes.
    Excellence can be found in so many forms – I was an excellent gardener today as I weeded my front yard in between phone calls and emails from work.

    Reply
  5. Turling says

    May 19, 2010 at 4:22 am

    Right now, I'm just working on the "gardener" part. I'll worry about the adjective later!

    Reply
  6. Helen at summerhouse says

    May 19, 2010 at 7:45 am

    I really like this post. This idea applies to so many other things like art, an area I'm more involved with. The whole idea of comparison is always an invitation to competition. And competition and comparison often get in the way of individual expression and creativity in art and gardens.

    Reply
  7. lotusleaf says

    May 19, 2010 at 8:28 am

    A very thought-provoking post. I hope I'll be an excellent gardener!

    Reply
  8. Darla says

    May 19, 2010 at 10:36 am

    I needed this today…thank you!

    Reply
  9. Gatsbys Gardens says

    May 19, 2010 at 11:48 am

    Great post, we all need to realize what our potential is and also our abilities to carry out the dreams we have in our head.

    Eileen

    Reply
  10. Lisa at Greenbow says

    May 19, 2010 at 12:23 pm

    Intersting thoughts. I had never thought of whether I was striving for excellence or success. I just gotta garden. I see little successes here and there. Excellence is trying to keep em alive and looking happy.

    Reply
  11. Jean Campbell says

    May 19, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    We should strive to be the best gardener that we are capable of being given the limitations of our environment. Once when I mentioned that my echinacea got ratty and had to be cut back late June, a woman from a climate where it is always cool in summer commented that HERS always bloomed beautifully all summer as if the shortcoming was mine, not attributable to my hot and humid climate.

    Reply
  12. Layanee says

    May 19, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    I think competition is inherent in humans but I have always felt that there should be no competition in gardening. Each garden reflects the knowledge, ability and artistry of the gardener's hand and we can all learn from those differences. Thoughtful post as always, Carol.

    Reply
  13. Dorothy Borders says

    May 19, 2010 at 4:45 pm

    Dale Carnegie was wise and so are you. Thank you for this. I resolve to strive fore excellence.

    Reply
  14. Susie says

    May 19, 2010 at 4:53 pm

    That IS true!! The grass always seems to be greener on the other side of the fence, right?

    Reply
  15. Pam/Digging says

    May 19, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    An excellently written and thoughtful post, Carol. I could see this appearing on the back page of Fine Gardening mag. I actually chose "excellent" when you posed the question because it implies a certain level of artistry that I hope to achieve one day.

    More food for thought: Success can be relative too. When you set a goal, if you achieve it you are successful. So if you set a goal to plant and harvest peas, and you do, you are a successful gardener. If you set out to plant a butterfly garden that will attract lots of winged visitors, and you do, even if others might find your garden messy or weedy, you are successful. If you set a goal to have the best garden in the neighborhood, well, then you've got your work cut out for you, perhaps. But my point is that success can be self-determined too. It doesn't have to be determined by the opinions of others. And you can be much happier when you define success in this manner.

    Reply
  16. Ramble on Rose says

    May 19, 2010 at 10:54 pm

    Great post!

    Reply
  17. Gail says

    May 19, 2010 at 11:11 pm

    Loved this post Carol~I think comparing our gardens, our houses or ourselves to others is not ever going to lead to positive feelings. gail

    Reply
  18. Elizabeth Barrow says

    May 19, 2010 at 11:49 pm

    Wonderful post! I think we all have those moments when we long for more sunshine, or more shade, or more rain, or more space, or fewer neighbors. But your post is a good reminder of the value of "making do." Of doing the best gardening you can do, in your own personal circumstances. Thanks again for the inspiration.

    Reply
  19. Cindy, MCOK says

    May 19, 2010 at 11:57 pm

    Well said, my friend. I will take those words to heart.

    Reply
  20. Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings says

    May 20, 2010 at 2:57 am

    Oh to be excellent, it is quite a goal. I like the idea of measuring myself against my own potential instead of against others. We should all not covet each other's gardens or glory that matter. Great post.~~Dee

    Reply
  21. Garden Lily says

    May 20, 2010 at 7:32 am

    That's an interesting way to look at it. I like that idea of achieving excellence in our own way.

    Reply
  22. percystash@gmail.com says

    May 20, 2010 at 8:40 am

    What a thought-inspiring post. I've certainly learnt something today. As an added thought there is the famous quote from Aristotle: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit."

    Reply
  23. Irrigation Systems says

    May 20, 2010 at 8:42 am

    So very true and thoughtful. Excellent!

    Reply
  24. Sister who does not garden says

    May 21, 2010 at 1:03 am

    Great post! Can be applied to many areas of our lives…since not all of us are gardeners!

    Reply
  25. Commonweeder says

    May 21, 2010 at 1:05 am

    This is a thoughtful post – and its a good thing Carnegie defined success and excellence because I would have chosen successul – the success in achieving my own vision.

    Reply
  26. Rose says

    May 21, 2010 at 2:22 pm

    An excellent post, Carol! We should all strive for excellence for ourselves, not anyone else. But I agree, not every year works out, and I think it's okay to be mediocre sometimes in the garden, too.

    Reply
  27. Ruth says

    May 24, 2010 at 11:54 pm

    This is a GREAT post! Thank you very much! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Levinson Axelrod says

    May 25, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    A nice thought provoking post. Thanks for the explanation of what these two options mean. Your words are inspiring.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Updates from Carol Michel

* indicates required
Email Preferences

Categories

  • Blog (3,048)
  • Internal (2)

Blog Tags

annuals Blogging books bulbs dr. hortfreud embrace fairies fall family flowers fruits garden bloggers bloom day garden bloggers book club garden design gardeners gardening gardening geek gardens hoes holidays hortense hoelove houseplants humor indoor gardening insects lawn letters to gardening friends perennials rabbits reviews Secrets seeds shrubs spring tools trees vegetable garden vegetable gardening vegetables weather weeding weeds when a gardener wildflower wednesday winter

The Gardenangelists Podcast with Dee Nash

Gardenangelists Podcast

Footer

Gardenangelists Podcast with Dee Nash

Gardenangelists Podcast

Connect

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • maydreams icon

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Books
  • May Dreams Gardens
  • Podcast

Updates from Carol Michel

* indicates required
Email Preferences

Newsletter Archive

Copyright © 2023 · CarolJMichel.com · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

Book purchase links are affiliate links and Carol earns a small commission if you make a purchase.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT