By englishedition 
Here is a short summary of the poem The Garden by Andrew Marvell. The Garden by Andrew Marvell Summary will give you a better insight into the poem of Marvell.
A life of Feverish Activity Versus a Life of Repose
It is futile on the part of men to perplex themselves by their endeavours to win a crown of palm-leaves, or a crown of oak leaves, or a crown of laurel which they seek for their endless labours. It is a reward for their exploits on the battle-field or for their athletic achievements, or for their poetic work. Men toil hard to obtain the leaves of a single tree, such as a palm, an oak, or a laurel. But the short and narrow shade of one single tree wisely rebukes them for their vain labours. It is because all the flowers and all the trees in a garden combine to offer garlands of repose. Thus the poet criticizes vita active, life of feverish activity in every sphere of life. He recommends vita contemplative, life of repose in a garden in the midst of flowers and trees.
The Poet’s Dislike of Company
The poet himself needs no crown of laurel for his poetic labours. On the contrary, he finds Quiet and its dear sister, Innocence, in a garden. He says that he had a long time been making the mistake of spending his time in the busy company of men. The company of human beings is barbarous as compared to the delicious solitude which he enjoys in a garden.
Beauties of Women versus Beauties of a Garden
No woman with her white complexion and red lips can be so loving as the green colour of the leaves and trees in this garden. They are foolish and cruel lovers. They carve the names of their sweethearts on the barks of trees with their knives. Little do they realize that the beauty of a garden far exceed the beauty of their ladies. If the poet himself ever carves any name upon a tree with the knife, it would be the name only of the tree itself. He would not hurt any tree with a knife in order to carve a woman’s name.
The Love of Gods for Trees and Gardens
When we have exhausted our passion, or when our passion has spent itself, we take refuge in a garden in
order to relax and take rest. Even the gods love gardens. When any god chased a beautiful earthly woman, he did so because she was a potential tree. For instance, Apollo chased the nymph Daphne only because she was to be transformed into the laurel tree. And Pan ran after the nymph Syrinx only. It is
because she was to be changed into a reed from which he could make a pipe for himself to play upon.
A Profusion of Fruits and Flowers in the Garden
The poet feels that he is spending his time in this garden most wonderfully. Such delicious fruits as apples, grapes, nectarines, and peaches grow here in plenty. As he walks, he stumbles against the melons growing on the ground; and, getting entangled among the flowers, he falls down on the grass.
The Pleasures of the Mind in a Garden
With his body lying on the grass, the poet allows his mind to draw happiness from its own resources. It is because the mind is does not get satisfation with the inferior pleasures of fruits and flowers. The mind is like an ocean in which the counterparts of all the creatures living on land are. All the objects to be seen on land have their corresponding images or ideas in the mind of man. But the mind possesses the power to create lands and oceans quite different from those which actually exist on the earth. In this way the mind reduces everything existing on the earth to the status of “a green thought in a green shade.” In other words, a man lying on the grass in the green shade of a tree gets into a vigorously contemplative mood.
The Pleasure of Being Alone in a Garden
The poet then feels that his Soul has left his body and gone into the branches of the trees. There it sits and sings preparing itself for a long flight. The poet’s Soul here feels so happy that the poet compares this happiness to the happiness of Adam. Adam enjoyed in the Garden of Eden before Adam got a companion in the shape of Eve. As long as Adam was alone in the Garden of Eden, his happiness was perfect. If Adam had continued to live alone in the Garden of Eden, he would have experienced the happiness of two Paradises. They are the Paradise of the Garden of Eden, and the Paradise of being along. The idea is that Adam did not need Eve. That men even today do not need women if they can spend their hours in a garden).
The Flowers and Herbs as a Sun-Dial
Finally, the poet admires the pattern formed by the flowers and herbs in one part of the garden. The gardener has made the flowers and herbs grow in such a manner that they serve the purpose of sun-dial. The mild rays of the sun, filtering through the green leaves of the trees, fall on this sun-dial and enable bees as well as human beings. When one is passing sweet and refreshing hours in a garden, the best way to judge the passing of time is by means of herbs and flowers.
SHORT NOTES ON THE COLLAR BY GEORGE HERBERT