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.
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