_Of Flowers of all sorts both forraigne and home-bred, their sowing,
planting, and preseruing._
Hauing written sufficiently of Pot-hearbs and Sallet-hearbs, which are
the ornaments of the Husbandmans Kitchin or Table, I will here speake
of flowers, which either for their smels, beauties, or both, are the
graces of his Chamber. And first, because my maine ayme and scope is
English Husbandrie, I will begin with those flowers which are most
proper and naturall for our climate, of which because I holde _Roses_
both for their smell, beauties, and wholesomnesse to excéede all other,
I thinke it not amisse to giue them the first place and precedencie
before all other.
[Sidenote: Of Roses.]
You shall vnderstand then that _Roses_ are generally and aunciently
but of thrée kindes, the Damaske, the red, and the white, and what are
different from these are but deriuations from them, being by grafting,
replanting, and phisicking, somewhat altered either in colour, smell,
or doublenesse of leafe.
[Sidenote: Of the Damaske Rose.]
To speake then first of the Damaske _Rose_, it is fit that all
husbandmen know, that _Roses_ may as well be sowne from the séede, as
planted from the roote, Syen, or branch onely, they are the slower in
comming vp, more tender to nourish, and much longer in yéelding forth
their flowers, yet for satisfaction sake and where necessitie vrgeth,
if of force or pleasure you must sowe it from the séede, you shall
chuse a ruffish earth loose and well dunged, and you shall cast vp
your beds high and narrow: the moneth which is fit for their sowing
is September, and they must be couered not aboue four fingers déepe,
they must be defended well all the Winter from frosts and stormes, and
then they will beare their flowers plentifully all the next Spring
following: yet this is to be noted, that all _Roses_ which rise from
the séede simply, their flowers will be single like the _Eglantine_,
or _Cyphanie_, therefore after your plants are two yéeres olde, you
must graft one into another, as you doe other fruit, and that will
make them double and thicke: also you must remember that those yellow
small séedes which are in the midst of the _Rose_, are not true _Rose_
séedes, but those which lye hid in the round peare knob vnder the
_Rose_, which as soone as the leaues are fallen away, will open and
shew the séede. And thus much touching the sowing of all sorts of
_Roses_, which is for experience and knowledge sake onely, for indéede
the true vse and property of the _Rose_ is to be planted in short slips
about fourtéene inches long, and the small tassels of the roote cut
away, they would be set halfe a foote into the ground, in the same
manner as you set ordinary Quick-set, and of like thicknesse, rather a
little slope-wise then vpright: and though some thinke March the best
season, yet doubtlesse September is much better for hauing the roote
confirmed all the Winter, they will beare the sooner and better all the
Sommer following; you must be carefull to plant them in faire weather,
and as néere as you can vnder shelter as by the sides of walls, and
such like couert where the Sunne may reflect against them, and if they
be planted on open beds or borders, then you must with Poales and other
necessaries support them and hold them vp, least the winde shake their
rootes and hinder their growing.
[Sidenote: Of the red Rose.]
The red _Rose_ is not fully so tender as the Damaske, neither is it so
pleasant in smell, nor doubleth his leaues so often; yet it is much
more Phisicall, and oftner vsed in medicine, it is likewise fitter to
be planted then sowen, and the earth in which it most ioyeth would be a
little rough or grauelly, and the best compasse you can lay vnto it, is
rubbish or the sweeping of houses, the moneths to sowe or plant it in
is March or September, & the time to prune and cut away the superfluous
branches is euer the midst of October.
[Sidenote: Of the white Rose.]
The white _Rose_ is of lesse smell then the red, and will grow in a
harder ground, his vse is altogether in Phisicke as for sore eyes and
such like: it will grow into a Trée of some bigge substance, and is
seldome hurt with frosts, stormes, or blastings: it would likewise be
planted from the roote against some high wall, either in the moneth of
February or March, and the oftner you plant and replant it, the doubler
and larger the flower will be: for the earth it much skilleth not,
because it will grow almost in euery ground, onely it delights most in
the shadow, and would be seldome pruned, except you finde many dead
branches.
[Sidenote: Of the Cinamon Rose.]
The _Cinamon Rose_, is for the most part sowen, and not planted, whence
it comes that you shall euer sée the leaues single and little, the
delicacie thereof being onely in the smell, which that you may haue
most fragrant and strong, you shall take a vessell of earth, being full
of small holes in the bottome and sides, and fill it with the richest
earth you can get, being made fine and loose, then take Damaske _Rose_
séedes which are hard, and sound, and stéepe them foure and twenty
houres in _Cinamon_ water, I doe not meane the distilled water, but
faire Conduit water, in which good store of _Cinamon_ hath bin stéeped,
or boyled, or milk, wherin good store of _Cinamon_ hath bin dissolued,
and then sow those séedes into the Pot, and couer them almost thrée
fingers déepe, then morning and euening till they appeare aboue the
earth, water them with that water or milke in which the seedes were
stéeped, then when they are sprung vp a handfull or more aboue the
ground, you shall take them vp mould and all, and hauing drest a border
or bed for the purpose, plant them so as they may grow vp against some
warme wall or pale, and haue the Sunne most part of the day shining
vpon them, and you shall be sure to haue _Roses_ growing on them, whose
smell will be wonderfull pleasant, as if they had béene spiced with
_Cinamon_, and the best season of sowing these is euer in March, at
high noone day, the weather shining faire, and the winde most calme.
[Sidenote: To make the Cinamon Rose grow double.]
Now if you would haue these _Roses_ to grow double, which is an Art yet
hid from most Gardners, you shall at Michaelmasse take the vppermost
parts of the Plante from the first knot, and as you graft either Plumme
or Apple, so graft one into another, and couer the heads with earth
or clay tempered with _Cinamon_-water, and they will not onely grow
double, but the smell will be much swéeter, and looke how oft you will
graft and re-graft them, so much more double and double they will proue.
[Sidenote: Of the Prouince Rose.]
The _Prouince Rose_ is a delicate flower for the eye more then the
nose, for his oft grafting abateth his smell, but doubleth his leafe
so oft that it is wonderfull, therefore if you will haue them large
and faire, you shall take the fairest Damaske _Roses_ you can get,
and graft them into the red _Rose_, and when they haue shot out many
branches, then you shall graft each seuerall branch againe with new
grafts of another grafted Damaske _Rose_: and thus by grafting graft
vpon graft, you shall haue as faire and well coloured _Prouince Roses_,
as you can wish or desire: and thus you may doe either in the Spring or
fall at your pleasure, but the fall of the leafe is euer helde the best
season.
[Sidenote: To make Roses smell well.]
Now if your _Roses_ chaunce to loose their smels, as it oft happeneth
through these double graftings: you shall then plant _Garlicke_ heads
at the rootes of your _Roses_, and that will bring the pleasantnesse of
their sent vnto them againe.
[Sidenote: Generall notes touching Roses.]
Now for your generall obseruations; you shall remember that it is good
to water your _Roses_ morning and euening till they be gathered; you
shall rather couet to plant your _Roses_ in a dry ground then a wette,
you shall giue them much shelter, strong support, and fresh dung twise
at the least euery yeare, when the leafe is fallen, you shall cutte
and prune the branches, and when the buds appeare you, then begin your
first watring.
[Sidenote: Of Lauender.]
_Lauender_ is a flower of a hot smell, and is more estéemed of the
plaine Country housewife then the dainty Citizen: it is very wholesome
amongst linnen cloathes, and would be sowen in a good rich mould, in
the moneths of March or Aprill.
[Sidenote: Of the white Lilly.]
The white _Lilly_ would be sowen in a fat earth, in the moneths of
October and Nouember, or in March or April, and the séedes must be
sowen excéeding thinne, not one by any meanes touching another, and the
mould which couereth them must be sifted gently vpon them.
[Sidenote: To make Lillyes of any colour.]
If you would haue your _Lillyes_ of a purple colour, you shall stéepe
your séedes in the Lées of red wine, and that will change their
complexion, and also you shall water the Plants with the same Lées
likewise: if you will haue them scarlet red, you shall put _Vermillion_
or _Cynaber_ betwéene the rinde and the small heads growing about the
roote: if you would haue them blew, you shall dissolue _Azure_ or
_Byse_ betwéene the rinde and the heads, if yellow _Orpment_, if gréene
_Verdigreace_, and thus of any other colour.
[Sidenote: To make Lillyes flourish all the yeere.]
Now to make them flourish euery moneth in the yéere, you shall sowe
your séedes some a foote déepe, some halfe a foote, and some not two
inches, so they will spring one after another, and flourish one after
another.
[Sidenote: Of the wood Lilly.]
The wood _Lilly_ or _Lilly_ of the vale, delighteth most in a moyst
ground, and may be sowen either in March or September, it is very faire
to looke on, and not so suffocating in smell as the other _Lillyes_ are.
[Sidenote: Of the flower de Lice.]
The _flower de Lice_ is of excellent beauty, but not very pleasant to
smell to, it loueth a dry ground & an easie mould, and is fittest to be
sowen in the moneth of March.
[Sidenote: Of Pyonie.]
_Pyonie_ or the blessed _Rose_, loueth a good fat earth being somewhat
loose, and may be sowen either in March or September, it asketh not
much watring, onely some support because the stalkes be weake.
[Sidenote: Of Petillius.]
_Petillius_ or _Indian eye_, may be sowen in any ground, for it
desireth neither much water, nor much dung, and the best season for
sowing, it is Iune or September, for it will beare flowers commonly all
the Winter.
[Sidenote: Of Veluet flower.]
_Veluet flower_ loueth a rich fertile ground, and must be much watred:
the season best for the sowing is August, for commonly it will beare
flowers all the Winter.
[Sidenote: Of Gylliflowers.]
[Sidenote: Of grafting of Gylliflowers.]
_Gilliflowers_ are of diuers kindes, as _Pynks_, _Wall-flowers_,
_Carnations_, _Cloue Gilliflowers_, and a world of others, which
are of all other flowers most swéet and delicate: all but the
_Wall-gilliflower_ loue good fertile earths, and may be sowen either
in March, Iuly, or August. They are better to be planted of Slips
then sowen, yet both will prosper. They are very tender, and therfore
the best planting of them is in earthen Pots, or halfe Tubs, which at
your pleasure you may remoue from the shade to the Sunne, and from the
roughnesse of stormes to places of shelter, they grow vp high on long
slender stalkes, which you must defend and support with square cradles
made of stickes, least the winde and the waight of the flowers breake
them: these _Gilliflowers_ you may make of any colour you please, in
such sort as is shewed you for the colouring of _Lillyes_, and if
you please to haue them of mixt colours you may also, by grafting of
contrary colours one into another: and you may with as great ease graft
the _Gylliflower_ as any fruit whatsoeuer, by the ioyning of the knots
one into another, and then wrapping them about with a little soft
sleau’d silke, and couering the place close with soft red Waxe well
tempered. And you shall vnderstand that the grafting of _Gylliflowers_
maketh them excéeding great, double, and most orient of colour.
[Sidenote: Of the smels of Gylliflowers.]
Now if you will haue your _Gylliflowers_ of diuers smels or odours,
you may also with great ease, as thus for example: if you will take
two or thrée great cloues, & stéepe them foure and twenty houres in
Damaske _Rose_ water, then take them out and bruise them, and put them
into a fine Cambricke ragge, and so binde them about the heart roote
of the _Gylliflower_, néere to the setting on of the stalke, and so
plant it in a fine, soft, and fertile mould, and the flower which
springeth from the same, will haue so delicate a mixt smell of the
Cloue and the Rose-water, that it will bréede both delight and wonder.
If in the same manner you take a sticke of _Cinamon_, and stéepe it
in _Rose_ water, and then bruise it, and binde it as afore-said, all
the flowers will smell strongly of _Cinamon_: if you take two graines
of fat Muske, and mixe it with two drops of Damaske _Rose_ water, and
binde it as afore-said, the flowers will smell strongly of Muske,
yet not too hot nor offensiue, by reason of the correction of the
_Rose_ water: and in this sort you may doe either with _Amber-greece_,
_Storax_, _Beniamin_, or any other swéet drugge whatsoeuer; and if in
any of these confections before named, you stéepe the séedes of your
_Gylliflowers_ foure and twenty houres before you sowe them, they will
take the same smels in which you stéepe them, onely they will not be so
large or double, as those which are replanted or grafted.
[Sidenote: Of the Wall Gylliflower.]
Now for your _Wall Gylliflower_, it delighteth in hard rubbish, limy,
and stonie grounds, whence it commeth that they couet most to grow
vpon walles, pauements, and such like barraine places. It may be sowen
in any moneth or season, for it is a séede of that hardnesse, that it
makes no difference betwixt Winter and Sommer, but will flourish in
both equally, and beareth his flowers all the yéere, whence it comes
that the Husbandman preserues it most in his Bée-garden; for it is
wondrous swéet, and affordeth much honey. It would be sowen in very
small quantity, for after it haue once taken roote, it will naturally
of it selfe ouer-spread much ground, and hardly euer after be rooted
out. It is of it selfe of so exéeding a strong and swéet smell, that it
cannot be forced to take any other, and therefore is euer preserued in
its owne nature.
[Sidenote: Of the Helytropian.]
The _Helytropian_ or flower of the Sunne, is in nature and colour like
our English _Marigold_, onely it is excéeding huge in compasse, for
many of them will be twenty, and foure and twenty inches in compasse,
according to the fertilenesse of the soyle in which they grow, and the
oft replanting of their rootes, they are excéeding goodly to looke on,
and pleasant to smell, they open their flowers at the rising of the
Sunne, and close them againe at the Sunne setting, it delighteth in any
soyle which is fertile either by Art or Nature, and may be sowen in any
moneth from February till September, the oft planting and replanting of
the roote after it is sprung a handfull from the earth, maketh it grow
to the vttermost bignesse, it would haue the East and West open vpon
it, onely some small Pent-house to kéepe the sharpnesse of the winde
from it.
[Sidenote: Of the Crowne Emperiall.]
The _Crowne-Emperiall_, is of all flowers both forraigne and home-bred,
the delicatest and strangest: it hath the true shape of an Emperiall
Crowne, and will be of diuers colours, according to the Art of the
Gardner. In the middest of the flower you shall sée a round Pearle
stand, in proportion, colour, and orientnesse, like a true naturall
Pearle, onely it is of a soft liquid substance: This Pearle if you
shake the flower neuer so violently will not fall off, neither if you
let it continue neuer so long, will it either encrease or diminish in
the bignesse, but remayneth all one: yet if with your finger you take
and wipe it away, in lesse then an houre after you shall haue another
arise in the same place, and of the same bignesse. This Pearle if you
taste it vpon your tongue, is pleasant and swéet like honey: this
flower when the Sunne ariseth, you shall sée it looke directly to the
East, with the stalke bent lowe there-vnto, and as the Sunne ariseth
higher and higher, so the flower will likewise ascend, and when the
Sunne is come into the _Meridian_ or noone poynt, which is directly
ouer it, then will it stand vpright vpon the stalke, and looke directly
vpward, and as the Sunne declineth, so will it likewise decline, and at
the Sunne setting looke directly to the West onely. The séedes of this
flower are very tender, and therefore would be carefully sowen in a
very rich and fertile earth well broken and manured. The seasons most
méete for the same, is the latter end of March, Aprill, or May, for the
flowers flourish most in May, Iune, and Iuly. As soone as it is sprung
a handfull aboue the earth; you shall remoue it into a fresh mould,
and that will make it flourish the brauer: the roote of this flower is
like an Apple, or great flat Onion, and therefore in the replanting of
it, you must be carefull to make a hole large and fitte for the same,
and to fixe the mould gently and close about the same. In the Winter
it shrinketh into the earth, and is hardly or not at all discerned, by
meanes whereof I haue séene diuers supposing it to be dead, to digge
vp the earth, and negligently spoyle the roote, but be not you of that
opinion, and in the Spring you shall sée it arise and flourish brauely.
[Sidenote: Of the Dulippo.]
The _Dulippo_ is but a little short of the _Crowne Emperiall_ in
pleasantnesse and rarenesse, for you may haue them of all colours
whatsoeuer, in such sort as was shewed you for the _Lillyes_,
_Gylliflowers_, and other rootes: they are tender at their first
springing from the séede, and therefore must be sowen in a fine rich
mould, in the warmth of the Sunne, either in March, Aprill, or May:
but after they are once sprung aboue the ground, they are reasonable
hard, and will defend themselues against most weathers: the roote of
this flower is shaped like a Peare, with the biggest end downeward, and
many small thréeds at the bottome; therefore you must be sure when you
remoue or replant it, to couer all the roote in fresh mould, and let
not any part of the white thereof be vncouered: this flower by monethly
replanting, you may haue to flourish in all the Summer moneths of the
yeare, for in the dead of Winter it shrinketh into the ground, and is
hardly or not at all perceiued, the stalkes of these flowers are weake,
therefore to support them, and defend them from the shakings of the
windes with little square frames of stickes, will be very good and
necessary, it must be oft watred.
[Sidenote: Of the Hyacinth.]
The _Hyacinth_ is a flower more delicate to the eye then nose, and
is of a good strong nature, for it will endure any reasonable earth,
and may be sowne in any moneth of the Spring, from the beginning of
February till midde-Iune: it onely hateth tempests and stormes, and
therefore is commonly sowen or planted néere vnto walls or other
shelter. You may haue them of any colour you please, as is shewed
before of other flowers, and in this alteration or mixture of colours
their greatest glorie appeareth, they will flourish all the Summer
long, and if they stand warme, appeare very early in the Spring.
[Sidenote: Of the Narcissus.]
The _Narcissus_ is a very curious and dainty flower, and through his
much variety and alteration in growing, they are supposed to be of
diuers kindes, but it is not so, for in as much as they are séene to
be of diuers colours, that is but the Art of the Gardner, as is before
exprest in other flowers, and whereas some of them grow single, some
double, and some double vpon double, you shall vnderstand that such as
grow single, grow simply from the séede onely, those which are double
and no more, are such as haue béene planted and replanted, the small
thréeds of the rootes being clipt away, and nothing left about it
that is superfluous, and those which are double vpon double, are the
double plants grafted one into another. This _Narcissus_ loueth a rich
warme soyle, the mould being easie and light, it may be sowne in any
moneth of the Spring, and will flourish all the Summer after. Before it
appeare aboue ground it would be oft watred, but after it skils not how
little, for it will defend it selfe sufficiently.
[Sidenote: Of the Daffadill, Colombine, and Chesbole.]
[Sidenote: An excellent Caution.]
Not vnlike vnto this is your _Daffadill_ of all kindes and colours,
and in the same earths and seasons delighteth either to be sowen or
planted, and will in the same manner as your _Narcissus_ double and
redouble his leaues; so will your _Colombine_, your _Chesbole_, and
almost any hollow flower whatsoeuer. Many other forraigne flowers
there are which grow plentifully in our Kingdome: but the order of
their planting and sowing differeth nothing from these which I haue
already declared, being the most tender and curious of all other,
therefore I will end this Chapter with this one _caution_ onely, that
when you shall receiue any séede from any forraine Nation, you shall
learne as néere as you can the nature of the soyle from whence it
commeth, as hot, moyst, colde, or dry it is, and then comparing it with
ours, sowe it as néere as you can in the earth, and in the seasons that
are néerest to the soyle from whence it came, as thus for example: if
it came from a clime much hotter then ours, then shall you sowe it in
sandie mould or other mould made warme by strength of meanure, in the
warmest time of the day, and in those moneths of the Spring, which are
warmest, as Aprill or May, you shall let it haue the Sunne fréely all
the day and at night, with Mats, Penthouse, or other defence shield it
from sharpe windes, frosts, or colde dewes.
[Sidenote: A new manner of planting flowers and fruits.]
I haue séene diuers Noblemen and Gentlemen, which haue béene very
curious in these dainty flowers, which haue made large frames of wood
with boards of twenty inches déepe, standing vpon little round whéeles
of wood, which being made square or round according to the Masters
fancie, they haue filled with choyse earth, such as is most proper to
the flower they would haue grow, and then in them sowe their séedes, or
fixe their Plants in such sort, as hath béene before described, and so
placing them in such open places of the Garden, where they may haue the
strength and violence of the Sunnes heate all the day, and the comfort
of such moderate showers, as fall without violence or extraordinarie
beating, and at night draw them by mans strength into some low vaulted
gallery ioyning vpon the Garden, where they may stand warme and safe
from stormes, windes, frosts, dewes, blastings, and other mischiefes
which euer happen in the Sunnes absence, and in this manner you may not
onely haue all manner of dainty outlandish flowers, but also all sorts
of the most delicatest fruits that may be, as the _Orenge_, _Limond_,
_Pomgranate_, _Poncythron_, _Cynamon-tree_, _Oliue_, _Almond_, or any
other, from what clime so euer it be deriued, obseruing onely but to
make your frames of wood, which containes your earth, but déeper and
larger, according to the fruit you plant in it, and that your Alleys
through which you draw your Trées when you house them be smooth and
leuell, least being rough and vneuen, you iogge and shake the rootes
with the waight of the Trées, which is dangerous. And least any man may
imagine this but an imaginary supposition, I can assure him that within
seauen miles of London, the experiment is to be séene, where all these
fruits and flowers with a world of others grow in two Gardens most
abundantly. Now for such flowers or fruits as shall be brought from a
colder or more barraine ground then our owne, there néedeth not much
curiosity in the plantation of them, because a better euer bringeth
forth a better encrease, onely I would wish you to obserue, to giue all
such fruits or flowers the vttermost liberty of the weather, & rather
to adde coolenes by shaddow, then encrease any warmth by reflection,
as also to augment showers by artificiall watrings, rather then to let
the roote dry for want of continuall moysture; many other notes and
obseruations there are, which to discouer, would aske a volume larger
then I intend, and yet not be more in true substance, then this which
is already writ, if the Reader haue but so much mother-wit, as by
comparing things together, to draw the vses from the true reasons, and
to shunne contrary by contraries, which what Husbandman is so simple,
but he can easily performe, and hauing the true grounds of experience,
frame his descant according to his owne fancie, which is a Musicke best
pleasing to all men, since it is not in any one mans power to giue a
generall contentment. And thus much for flowers, and their generall and
particular ordering.