1. lit. you plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree; fig. things do not always turn out as one would expect; well-laid plans may fail, and success may come where you least expect it

   trad. 有意栽花花不發，無心插柳柳成陰

Also written 有意栽花花不發，無心插柳柳成陰【yǒu yì zāi huā huā bù fā , wú xīn chā liǔ liǔ chéng yīn】