_Of the adornation and beautifying of the Garden for pleasure._
The adornation and beautifying of gardens is not onely diuers but almost
infinite, the industry of mens braines hourely begetting and bringing
forth such new garments and imbroadery for the earth, that it is
impossible to say this shall be singular, neither can any man say that
this or that is the best, sith as mens tastes so their fancies are
carried away with the varietie of their affections, some being pleased
with one forme, some with another: I will not therefore giue
preheminence to any one beauty, but discribing the faces and glories of
all the best ornaments generaly or particularly vsed in our English
gardens, referre euery man to the ellection of that which shall best
agree with his fancy.
{SN: Of Knots and Mazes.}
To beginne therefore with that which is most antient and at this day of
most vse amongst the vulgar though least respected with great ones, who
for the most part are wholy giuen ouer to nouelties: you shall
vnderstand that Knots and Mazes were the first that were receiued into
admiration, which Knots or Mazes were placed vpon the faces of each
seuerall quarter, in this sort: first, about the verdge or square of the
quarter was set a border of Primpe, Boxe, Lauandar, Rose-mary, or such
like, but Primpe or Boxe is the best, and it was set thicke, at least
eighteene inches broad at the bottome & being kept with cliping both
smooth and leuell on the toppe and on each side, those borders as they
were ornaments so were they also very profitable to the huswife for the
drying of linnen cloaths, yarne, and such like: for the nature of Boxe
and Primpe being to grow like a hedge, strong and thicke, together, the
Gardiner, with his sheares may keepe it as broad & plaine as himselfe
listeth. Within this border shall your knot or maze be drawne, it being
euer intended that before the setting of your border your quarter shall
be the third time digged, made exceeding leuell, and smooth, without
clot or stone, and the mould, with your garden rake of iron, so broken
that it may lye like the finest ashes, and then with your garden mauls,
which are broad-boards of more then two foote square set at the ends of
strong staues, the earth shall be beaten so hard and firme together that
it may beare the burthen of a man without shrinking. And in the beating
of the mould you shall haue all diligent care that you preserue and
keepe your leuell to a hayre, for if you faile in it, you faile in your
whole worke.
{Illustration}
Now for the time of this labour, it is euer best about the beginning of
February, and indifferent, about the midst of October, but for the
setting of your Primpe, or Boxe-border, let the beginning of Nouember be
your latest time, for so shall you be sure that it will haue taken
roote, and the leafe will flourish in the spring following: at which
time your ground being thus artificially prepared, you shall begin to
draw forth your knot in this manner: first, with lines you shall draw
the forme of the figure next before set downe, and with a small
instrument of iron make it vpon the earth.
{Illustration}
Which done, from the order and proportion of these lines you shall draw
your single knots or plaine knots of the least curiositie, as may
appeare by this figure, being one quarter of the whole Knot: euer
proportioning your Trayles and windings according to the lines there
discribed, which will keepe your worke in iust proportion.
But if you desire to haue knots of much more curiositie being more
double and intricate, then you shall draw your first lines after this
proportion here figured, pinning downe euery line firme to the earth
with a little pinne made of woode.
{Illustration}
Which done you shall draw your double and curious knots after the manner
of the figure following, which is also but one quarter of the whole
knot, for looke in what manner you doe one knot in like sort will the
other three quarters succeede, your lines keeping you in a continuall
euen proportion.
{Illustration}
And in this manner as you draw these knots, with the like helps and
lines also you shall draw out your Mazes, and laborinths, of what sort
or kind soeuer you please, whether they be round or square. But for as
much, as not onely the _Country-farme_, but also diuers other translated
bookes, doe at large describe the manner of casting and proportioning
these knots, I will not persist to write more curiously vpon them, but
wish euery painefull gardiner which coueteth to be more satisfied
therein, to repaire to those authors, where hee shall finde more large
amplifications, and greater diuersities of knots, yet all tending to no
more purpose then this which I haue all ready written.
Now, as soone as you haue drawne forth and figured your knot vpon the
face of your quarter, you shall then set it either with Germander,
Issoppe, Time or Pinke-gilly-flowers, but of all hearbes Germander is
the most principall best for this purpose: diuers doe vse in knots to
set Thrift, and in time of need it may serue, but it is not so good as
any of the other, because it is much subiect to be slaine with frost,
and will also spread vpon the earth in such sort that, without very
painefull cutting, it will put your knot out of fashion.
{SN: Yeallow.}
{SN: White.}
{SN: Blacke.}
{SN: Red.}
{SN: Blew.}
{SN: Greene.}
Now there is another beautifying or adorning of Gardens, and it is most
generally to be seene in the gardens of Noblemen and Gentlemen, which
may beare coate-armor, and that is, instead of the knots and mazes
formerly spoken of, to draw vpon the faces of your quarters such Armes,
or Ensines, as you may either beare your selfe, or will preserue for the
memory of any friend: and these armes being drawne forth in plaine
lines, you shall set those plaine shadowing lines either with Germander,
Issop, or such like hearbes: and then for the more ample beautie
thereof, if you desire to haue them in their proper and liuely colours
(without which they haue but one quarter of their luster) you shall
vnderstand that your colours in Armory are thus to be made. First, for
your mettalls: you shall make your Yeallow, either of a yeallow clay,
vsually to be had almost in euery place, or the yeallowest sand, or for
want of both, of your Flanders Tile, which is to be bought of euery
Iron-monger or Chandelor; and any of these you must beate to dust: for
your White you shall make it of the coursest chalke beaten to dust, or
of well burnt plaister, or, for necessity, of lime, but that will soone
decay: your Blacke is to be made of your best and purest coale-dust,
well clensed and sifted: your Red is to be made of broken vselesse
brickes beaten to dust, and well clensed from spots: your Blew is to be
made of white-chalke, and blacke coale dust mixed together, till the
blacke haue brought the white to a perfect blewnes: lastly your Greene,
both for the naturall property belonging to your Garden, as also for
better continuance and long lasting, you shall make of Camomill, well
planted where any such colour is to be vsed, as for the rest of the
colours, you shall sift them, and strow them into their proper places,
and then with a flat beating-Beetell you shall beate it, and incorporate
it with the earth, and as any of the colours shall decay, you shall
diligently repaire them, and the luster will be most beautifull.
There is also another beautifying of gardens, which although it last not
the whole yeere, yet it is most quaint, rare, and best eye-pleasing, and
thus it is: you shall vpon the face of your quarter draw a plaine double
knot, in manner of billet-wise: for you shall vnderstand that in this
case the plainest knot is the best, and you shall let it be more then a
foote betwixt line and line (for in the largenesse consists much beauty)
this knot being scored out, you shall take Tiles, or tileshreds and fixe
them within the lines of your knot strongly within the earth, yet so as
they may stand a good distance aboue the earth and this doe till you
haue set out all your knot with Tile: then precisely note the seuerall
passages of your knot, and the seuerall thrids of which it consisteth,
and then betwixt your tiles, (which are but as the shadowing lines of
your knot) plant in euery seuerall third, flowers of one kinde and
colour, as thus for example: in one thrid plant your carnation
Gilly-flower, in another your great white Geli flower, in another your
mingle-coloured Gilly-flower, and in another your blood-red
Gilly-flower, and so likewise if you can compasse them you may in this
sort plant your seueral coloured Hyacinths, as the red, the blew, and
the yealow, or your seuerall coloured _Dulippos_, and many other Italian
and french flowers: or you may, if you please, take of euery seuerall
plant one, and place them as afforesaid; the grace of all which is, that
so soone as these flowers shall put forth their beauties, if you stand a
little remote from the knot, and any thing aboue it, you shall see it
appeare like a knot made of diuers coloured ribans, most pleasing and
most rare.
Many other adornations and beautifyings there are which belong to the
setting forth of a curious garden, but for as much as none are more
rare or more esteemed then these I haue set downe, being the best
ornaments of the best gardens of this kingdome, I thinke them tastes
sufficient for euery husbandman, or other of better quality which
delighteth in the beauty and well trimming of his ground.