Of Gardens

G0D Almighty first planted a garden.  And

indeed it is the purest of human pleasures.

It is the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man;

without which, buildings and palaces are but

gross handiworks; and a man shall ever see, that

when ages grow to civility and elegancy, men

come to build stately sooner than to garden finely;

as if gardening were the greater perfection.  I do

hold it, in the royal ordering of gardens, there

ought to be gardens, for all the months in the year;

in which severally things of beauty may be then

in season.  For December, and January, and the

latter part of November, you must take such things

as are green all winter: holly; ivy; bays; juniper;

cypress-trees; yew; pine-apple-trees; fir-trees;

rosemary; lavender; periwinkle, the white, the

purple, and the blue; germander; flags; orange-

trees; lemon-trees; and myrtles, if they be stoved;

and sweet marjoram, warm set.  There followeth,

for the latter part of January and February, the

mezereon-tree, which then blossoms; crocus ver-

nus, both the yellow and the grey; primroses,

anemones; the early tulippa; hyacinthus orien-

talis; chamairis; fritellaria.  For March, there

come violets, specially the single blue, which are

the earliest; the yellow daffodil; the daisy; the

almond-tree in blossom; the peach-tree in blos-

som; the cornelian-tree in blossom; sweet-briar.

In April follow the double white violet; the wall-

flower; the stock-gilliflower; the cowslip; flower-

delices, and lilies of all natures; rosemary-flowers;

the tulippa; the double peony; the pale daffodil;

the French honeysuckle; the cherry-tree in blos-

som; the damson and plum-trees in blossom; the

white thorn in leaf; the lilac-tree.  In May and

June come pinks of all sorts, specially the blush-

pink; roses of all kinds, except the musk, which

comes later; honeysuckles; strawberries; bugloss;

columbine; the French marigold, flos Africanus;

cherry-tree in fruit; ribes; figs in fruit; rasps; vine-

flowers; lavender in flowers; the sweet satyrian,

with the white flower; herba muscaria; lilium

convallium; the apple-tree in blossom.  In July

come gilliflowers of all varieties; musk-roses; the

lime-tree in blossom; early pears and plums in

fruit; jennetings, codlins.  In August come plums

of all sorts in fruit; pears; apricocks; berberries;

filberds; musk-melons; monks-hoods, of all colors.

In September come grapes; apples; poppies of

all colors; peaches; melocotones; nectarines; cor-

nelians; wardens; quinces.  In October and the

beginning of November come services; medlars;

bullaces; roses cut or removed to come late; holly-

hocks; and such like.  These particulars are for the

climate of London; but my meaning is perceived,

that you may have ver perpetuum, as the place

affords.
 
 

And because the breath of flowers is far sweeter

in the air (where it comes and goes like the warb-

ling of music) than in the hand, therefore nothing

is more fit for that delight, than to know what be

the flowers and plants that do best perfume the air.

Roses, damask and red, are fast flowers of their

smells; so that you may walk by a whole row of

them, and find nothing of their sweetness; yea

though it be in a morning's dew.  Bays likewise

yield no smell as they grow.  Rosemary little; nor

sweet marjoram.  That which above all others

yields the sweetest smell in the air is the violet,

specially the white double violet, which comes

twice a year; about the middle of April, and about

Bartholomew-tide.  Next to that is the musk-rose.

Then the strawberry-leaves dying, which yield a

most excellent cordial smell.  Then the flower of

vines; it is a little dust, like the dust of a bent, which

grows upon the cluster in the first coming forth.

Then sweet-briar.  Then wall-flowers, which are

very delightful to be set under a parlor or lower

chamber window.  Then pinks and gilliflowers,

especially the matted pink and clove gilliflower.

Then the flowers of the lime-tree.  Then the honey-

suckles, so they be somewhat afar off.  Of bean-

flowers I speak not, because they are field flowers.

But those which perfume the air most delightfully,

not passed by as the rest, but being trodden upon

and crushed, are three; that is, burnet, wild-

thyme, and watermints.  Therefore you are to set

whole alleys of them, to have the pleasure when

you walk or tread.
 
 

For gardens (speaking of those which are indeed

princelike, as we have done of buildings), the con-

tents ought not well to be under thirty acres of

ground; and to be divided into three parts; a green

in the entrance; a heath or desert in the going

forth; and the main garden in the midst; besides

alleys on both sides.  And I like well that four acres

of ground be assigned to the green; six to the

heath; four and four to either side; and twelve to

the main garden.  The green hath two pleasures:

the one, because nothing is more pleasant to the

eye than green grass kept finely shorn; the other,

because it will give you a fair alley in the midst, by

which you may go in front upon a stately hedge,

which is to enclose the garden.  But because the

alley will be long, and, in great heat of the year or

day, you ought not to buy the shade in the garden,

by going in the sun through the green, therefore

you are, of either side the green, to plant a covert

alley upon carpenter's work, about twelve foot in

height, by which you may go in shade into the

garden.  As for the making of knots or figures, with

divers colored earths,  that they may lie under the

windows of the house on that side which the gar-

den stands, they be but toys; you may see as good

sights, many times, in tarts.  The garden is best to

be square, encompassed on all the four sides with

a stately arched hedge.  The arches to be upon pil-

lars of carpenter's work, of some ten foot high, and

six foot broad; and the spaces between of the same

dimension with the breadth of the arch.  Over the

arches let there be an entire hedge of some four

foot high, framed also upon carpenter's work; and

upon the upper hedge, over every arch, a little tur-

ret, with a belly, enough to receive a cage of birds:

and over every space between the arches some

other little figure, with broad plates of round col-

ored glass gilt, for the sun to play upon.  But this

hedge I intend to be raised upon a bank, not steep,

but gently slope, of some six foot, set all with

flowers.  Also I understand, that this square of the

garden, should not be the whole breadth of the

ground, but to leave on either side, ground enough

for diversity of side alleys; unto which the two

covert alleys of the green, may deliver you.  But

there must be no alleys with hedges, at either end

of this great enclosure; not at the hither end, for

letting your prospect upon this fair hedge from

the green; nor at the further end, for letting your

prospect from the hedge, through the arches upon

the heath.
 
 

For the ordering of the ground, within the great

hedge, I leave it to variety of device; advising

nevertheless, that whatsoever form you cast it into,

first, it be not too busy, or full of work.  Wherein I,

for my part, do not like images cut out in juniper

or other garden stuff; they be for children.  Little

low hedges, round, like welts, with some pretty

pyramids, I like well; and in some places, fair

columns upon frames of carpenter's work.  I would

also have the alleys, spacious and fair.  You may

have closer alleys, upon the side grounds, but none

in the main garden.  I wish also, in the very middle,

a fair mount, with three ascents, and alleys,

enough for four to walk abreast; which I would

have to be perfect circles, without any bulwarks

or embossments; and the whole mount to be thirty

foot high; and some fine banqueting-house, with

some chimneys neatly cast, and without too much

glass.
 
 

For fountains, they are a great beauty and re-

freshment; but pools mar all, and make the garden

unwholesome, and full of flies and frogs.  Foun-

tains I intend to be of two natures: the one that

sprinkleth or spouteth water; the other a fair re-

ceipt of water, of some thirty or forty foot square,

but without fish, or slime, or mud.  For the first,

the ornaments of images gilt, or of marble, which

are in use, do well: but the main matter is so to

convey the water, as it never stay, either in the

bowls or in the cistern; that the water be never by

rest discolored, green or red or the like; or gather

any mossiness or putrefaction.  Besides that, it is to

be cleansed every day by the hand.  Also some

steps up to it, and some fine pavement about it,

doth well.  As for the other kind of fountain, which

we may call a bathing pool, it may admit much

curiosity and beauty; wherewith we will not

trouble ourselves: as, that the bottom be finely

paved, and with images; the sides likewise; and

withal embellished with colored glass, and such

things of lustre; encompassed also with fine rails

of low statuas.  But the main point is the same

which we mentioned in the former kind of foun-

tain; which is, that the water be in perpetual

motion, fed by a water higher than the pool, and

delivered into it by fair spouts, and then dis-

charged away under ground, by some equality of

bores, that it stay little.  And for fine devices, of

arching water without spilling, and making it rise

in several forms (of feathers, drinking glasses,

canopies, and the like), they be pretty things to

look on, but nothing to health and sweetness.
 
 

For the heath, which was the third part of our

plot, I wish it to be framed, as much as may be, to

a natural wildness.  Trees I would have none in it,

but some thickets made only of sweet-briar and

honeysuckle, and some wild vine amongst; and

the ground set with violets, strawberries, and

primroses.  For these are sweet, and prosper in the

shade.  And these to be in the heath, here and there,

not in any order.  I like also little heaps, in the na-

ture of mole-hills (such as are in wild heaths), to

be set, some with wild thyme; some with pinks;

some with germander, that gives a good flower to

the eye; some with periwinkle; some with violets;

some with strawberries; some  with cowslips; some

with daisies; some with red roses; some with lilium

convallium; some with sweet-williams red; some

with bear's-foot: and the like low flowers, being

withal sweet and sightly.  Part of which heaps, are

to be with standards of little bushes pricked upon

their top, and part without.  The standards to be

roses; juniper; holly; berberries (but here and

there, because of the smell of their blossoms); red

currants; gooseberries; rosemary; bays; sweet-

briar; and such like.  But these standards to be kept

with cutting, that they grow not out of course.
 
 

For the side grounds, you are to fill them with

variety of alleys, private, to give a full shade, some

of them, wheresoever the sun be.  You are to frame

some of them, likewise, for shelter, that when the

wind blows sharp you may walk as in a gallery.

And those alleys must be likewise hedged at both

ends, to keep out the wind; and these closer alleys

must be ever finely gravelled, and no grass, be-

cause of going wet.  In many of these alleys, like-

wise, you are to set fruit-trees of all sorts; as well

upon the walls, as in ranges.  And this would be

generally observed, that the borders wherein you

plant your fruit-trees, be fair and large, and low,

and not steep; and set with fine flowers, but thin

and sparingly, lest they deceive the trees.  At the

end of both the side grounds, I would have a mount

of some pretty height, leaving the wall of the en-

closure breast high, to look abroad into the fields.
 
 

For the main garden, I do not deny, but there

should be some fair alleys ranged on both sides,

with fruit-trees; and some pretty tufts of fruit-

trees, and arbors with seats, set in some decent

order; but these to be by no means set too thick; but

to leave the main garden so as it be not close, but

the air open and free.  For as for shade, I would

have you rest upon the alleys of the side grounds,

there to walk, if you be disposed, in the heat of the

year or day; but to make account, that the main

garden is for the more temperate parts of the year;

and in the heat of summer, for the morning and

the evening, or overcast days.
 
 

For aviaries, I like them not, except they be of

that largeness as they may be turfed, and have

living plants and bushes set in them; that the birds

may have more scope, and natural nesting, and

that no foulness appear in the floor of the aviary.

So I have made a platform of a princely garden,

partly by precept, partly by drawing, not a model,

but some general lines of it; and in this I have

spared for no cost.  But it is nothing for great

princes, that for the most part taking advice with

workmen, with no less cost set their things to-

gether; and sometimes add statuas and such things

for state and magnificence, but nothing to the true

pleasure of a garden.