My family had very impressive gardens, but not one I ever maintained for myself. I was an aristocrat in my youth, it would have been seen as below my station... [Everett doesn't sound too fond of this time, but he's not bitter or disgusted either. Merely stating a fact.

What he does sound fond of is his work]

When I became a diplomat, I traveled too much for such a thing. The change of pace is rather nice, here. Settling into a cottage with a garden all my own. [and while he'd appreciate help with it and running a business out of it, he'd still always be doing work himself, not one to sit back on his laurels.]