Throughout Willy's life, he tries to find his place and leave his mark, but his promises are typically empty. Willy told Biff and Happy that he would "have [his] own business" and would "show [them] all the towns" at some point, but that never actually happened (1559). Willy always thought that the key to success was to be liked -- "be liked and you will never want" (1561). However, whatever idealism Willy displays, his neighbor Charlie outperforms him. Charley encourages his son Bernard to study in school, talks less, sells more, and is somehow better liked than Willy (1563). In a way, the two families are foils; we've got Willy versus Charlie and Biff versus Bernard. Willy's optimism is nothing, for he has found no success in being a salesman.
Once Willy has his mind set on committing suicide, his mind returns instantly to the promise he made Laura (quoted at the top of the page). He tells his waiter Stanley, "Oh, I'd better hurry. I've got to get some seeds" (1619). Then, on the night of his death, he plants a garden and has hallucinations about discussing his suicide with his brother Ben.
Before I continue to analyze the significance of the garden, I'd like to point out that this is really sad. Willy found so little success in his life that all he feels he can contribute is a hastily organized garden that most likely won't even last. Simultaneously, his own sons abandoned him to hook up with call girls, and the only person he can talk to as he plants is his brother Ben, who is dead. And it's not even like they slept with the prostitutes on accident (I'm looking at you, Sam Seaborn). That's sad.
I would say that the garden is an important motif in Miller's play. The garden represents the Willy's failure to meet any of his goals in life -- his sons have hazy futures, he was fired from his position, and despite his most idealistic dreams, he is not well liked among his customers.
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