The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) /

by Gervase Markham

Chap. VI.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, Of grafting of Gylliflowers. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Of the Daffadill, Colombine, and Chesbole.

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, An excellent Caution. 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.

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.