---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Silly gardeners! We buy pretty…"
description: "\"Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable benches and position them oh so carefully. But does the gardener ever sit? No! We perch momentarily and the..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6db/janet-macunovich-21724_benches_silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortabl_363703.jpg"
---

#  Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable benches and…

![“Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable benches and position them oh so carefully. But does the gardener ever sit? No! We perch momentarily and then jump up to do that next thing we see.” quote by Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6db/janet-macunovich-21724_benches_silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortabl_363703.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6db/janet-macunovich-21724_benches_silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortabl_363703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6db/janet-macunovich-21724_benches_silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortabl_363703.jpg)

> “Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable benches and position them oh so carefully. But does the gardener ever sit? No! We perch momentarily and then jump up to do that next thing we see.”

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often create comfortable spaces but rarely use them, highlighting a gap between design and actual behavior.

**In simple terms:** Designs may look nice yet go unused.

Key Takeaway

Align design with real user habits.

Themes

design behavior usability

Mood

reflective critical

Type

observational thought‑provoking

When to use this quote

- public parks
- office spaces
- home interiors
- product ergonomics

Key Concepts

Human factors experience design psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we avoid using what we design?
- How can design encourage actual use?

A Different Perspective

People may resist change even with better design.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Benches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardener/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/)

## Related quotes

> [Have you ever noticed how few sitting places you find in private gardens? How seldom the versatility and importance of benches is considered? True…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirabel-osler/have-you-ever-noticed-how-few-sitting-places-you-find-in-private/)

[Mirabel Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirabel-osler/)

> [The best gardener is a baby killer. Baby insects are much easier to kill than adults, and haven't yet developed the big mouths and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/the-best-gardener-is-a-baby-killer-baby-insects-are-much-easier-to/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Gardeners often focus exclusively on plants, missing the absolutely essential visual role played by structures, from paths to pavilions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-often-focus-exclusively-on-plants-missing-the-absolutely/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Gardeners do first, read later. Why not? Plants are very gracious in accepting an apology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-do-first-read-later-why-not-plants-are-very-gracious-in/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [You can put a gardener behind the wheel, but you can't keep her eyes off the landscape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/you-can-put-a-gardener-behind-the-wheel-but-you-can-t-keep-her-eyes/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Gardeners in regions with very long summer days have a great opportunity, and should use more of the cool colors that literally glow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-in-regions-with-very-long-summer-days-have-a-great/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [There were crimson roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/there-were-crimson-roses-on-the-bench-they-looked-like-splashes-of/)

[Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/)

> [We're just a fragile team right now. It seems like when we have a little bit of adversity, when something goes wrong, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-walz/we-re-just-a-fragile-team-right-now-it-seems-like-when-we-have-a/)

Wes Walz

> [ The model for an NHL without fighting is right there in front of us. The \[playoffs are\] the time of year that fans love… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-dryden/the-model-for-an-nhl-without-fighting-is-right-there-in-front-of-us/)

[Ken Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-dryden/)

> [I'm not one of those actors who romanticizes his trials working out and brags that he can bench press a panda now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-m-not-one-of-those-actors-who-romanticizes-his-trials-working-out/)

[Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/)

> [Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/truly-the-bench-is-a-boon-to-idlers-whoever-first-came-up-with-the/)

[Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/)

> [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/)

[Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/)

> [What if it turns out there really are witches and vampires and werewolves living right here alongside us? After all, what better disguise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/what-if-it-turns-out-there-really-are-witches-and-vampires-and/)

[Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/)

> [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/)

[Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

## More by Janet Macunovich

> [If you cut a shrub back because it's just too big, and it dies, you haven't lost anything but a plant that couldn't live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-you-cut-a-shrub-back-because-it-s-just-too-big-and-it-dies-you/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [You don't know the plant until you've killed it. Then you've learned something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/you-don-t-know-the-plant-until-you-ve-killed-it-then-you-ve-learned/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [The very best garden is a new one, on virgin ground. Plants leap out of that spot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/the-very-best-garden-is-a-new-one-on-virgin-ground-plants-leap-out-of/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Gardeners in regions with very long summer days have a great opportunity, and should use more of the cool colors that literally glow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-in-regions-with-very-long-summer-days-have-a-great/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [You can put a gardener behind the wheel, but you can't keep her eyes off the landscape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/you-can-put-a-gardener-behind-the-wheel-but-you-can-t-keep-her-eyes/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Gardeners do first, read later. Why not? Plants are very gracious in accepting an apology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-do-first-read-later-why-not-plants-are-very-gracious-in/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Happiness comes from growing what thrives, not merely survives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/happiness-comes-from-growing-what-thrives-not-merely-survives/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [We think we learn by growing a plant but we can't know if it's just surviving or truly living? We really don't know anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/we-think-we-learn-by-growing-a-plant-but-we-can-t-know-if-it-s-just/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Take my last best advice: Try everything twice!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/take-my-last-best-advice-try-everything-twice/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Watch out for trees and traffic. The change is slow, the impact great, yet we miss the one and mistake the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/watch-out-for-trees-and-traffic-the-change-is-slow-the-impact-great/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [A colorful handle on a tool does nothing for me. Once it drops into that jungle out there, unless it's absolutely huge, it's gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/a-colorful-handle-on-a-tool-does-nothing-for-me-once-it-drops-into/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [If someone says "You're not doing that right," hand him the shovel, sit and watch. That's the right way to garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-right-hand-him-the-shovel-sit/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [There's no "right way" to garden, only what suits each person and place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/there-s-no-right-way-to-garden-only-what-suits-each-person-and-place/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [Gardeners often focus exclusively on plants, missing the absolutely essential visual role played by structures, from paths to pavilions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-often-focus-exclusively-on-plants-missing-the-absolutely/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [There are far too many self esteem problems in the world as it is. No sense taking on plant guilt, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/there-are-far-too-many-self-esteem-problems-in-the-world-as-it-is-no/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

[Explore all 28 Janet Macunovich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

## More Benches quotes

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

> [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/)

[Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/)

> [What if it turns out there really are witches and vampires and werewolves living right here alongside us? After all, what better disguise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/what-if-it-turns-out-there-really-are-witches-and-vampires-and/)

[Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/)

> [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/)

[Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/)

> [Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/truly-the-bench-is-a-boon-to-idlers-whoever-first-came-up-with-the/)

[Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/)

> [I'm not one of those actors who romanticizes his trials working out and brags that he can bench press a panda now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-m-not-one-of-those-actors-who-romanticizes-his-trials-working-out/)

[Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/)

> [ The model for an NHL without fighting is right there in front of us. The \[playoffs are\] the time of year that fans love… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-dryden/the-model-for-an-nhl-without-fighting-is-right-there-in-front-of-us/)

[Ken Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-dryden/)

> [We're just a fragile team right now. It seems like when we have a little bit of adversity, when something goes wrong, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-walz/we-re-just-a-fragile-team-right-now-it-seems-like-when-we-have-a/)

Wes Walz

> [There were crimson roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/there-were-crimson-roses-on-the-bench-they-looked-like-splashes-of/)

[Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/)

> [Every man in the game, from the minors on up, is not only fighting against the other side, but he's trying to hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-cobb/every-man-in-the-game-from-the-minors-on-up-is-not-only-fighting/)

[Ty Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-cobb/)

> [I was in a garden at the Rodin Museum. For a few minutes I was alone, sitting on a bench between two long hedges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/i-was-in-a-garden-at-the-rodin-museum-for-a-few-minutes-i-was-alone/)

[Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/)

> [Israel has incredible entrepreneurial spirit and a deep bench of technology talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roelof-botha/israel-has-incredible-entrepreneurial-spirit-and-a-deep-bench-of/)

[Roelof Botha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roelof-botha/)

> [At 200 pounds, with a 17-inch neck, a resting pulse of 78, a bench press of 200 pounds, I was very much indeed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-benedict/at-200-pounds-with-a-17-inch-neck-a-resting-pulse-of-78-a-bench-press/)

[Dirk Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-benedict/)

> [When lifting weights, nothing feels better than achieving a high point on the bench press with no help from your spotter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/when-lifting-weights-nothing-feels-better-than-achieving-a-high-point/)

[Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/)

> [It's so worth-while being a judge, because, if I make good, I can help prove that a woman's place is as much on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-ellinwood-allen/it-s-so-worth-while-being-a-judge-because-if-i-make-good-i-can-help/)

[Florence Ellinwood Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-ellinwood-allen/)

[Browse all 305 Benches quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable benches and position them oh so carefully. But does the gardener ever sit? No! We perch momentarily and then jump up to do that next thing we see.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Janet Macunovich"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortable-benches-and-position-them/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Benches"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortable-benches-and-position-them/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6db/janet-macunovich-21724_benches_silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortabl_363703.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6db/janet-macunovich-21724_benches_silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortabl_363703.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6db/janet-macunovich-21724_benches_silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortabl_363703.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable benches and position them oh so carefully. But does the gardener…” — Janet Macunovich",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Janet Macunovich",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortable-benches-and-position-them/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortable-benches-and-position-them/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```