The seuerall situations of mens dwellings, are for the most part vnauoideable and vnremoueable; for most men cannot appoint forth such a manner of situation for their dwelling, as is most fit to auoide all the inconueniences of winde and weather, but must bee content with such as the place will afford them; yet all men doe well know, that some situations are more excellent than others: according therfore to the seuerall situation of mens dwellings, so are the situations of their gardens also for the most part. And although diuers doe diuersly preferre their owne seuerall places which they haue chosen, or wherein they dwell; As some those places that are neare vnto a riuer or brooke to be best for the pleasantnesse of the water, the ease of transportation of themselues, their friends and goods, as also for the fertility of the soyle, which is seldome bad neare vnto a riuers side; And others extoll the side or top of an hill, bee it small or great, for the prospects sake; And againe, some the plaine or champian ground, for the euen leuell thereof: euery one of which, as they haue their commodities accompanying them, so haue they also their discommodities belonging vnto them, according to the Latine Prouerbe, Omne commodum fert suum incommodum. Yet to shew you for euerie of these situations which is the fittest place to plant your garden in, and how to defend it from the iniuries of the cold windes and frosts that may annoy it, will, I hope, be well accepted. And first, for the water side, I suppose the North side of the water to be the best side for your garden, that it may haue the comfort of the South Sunne to lye vpon it and face it, and the dwelling house to bee aboue it, to defend the cold windes and frosts both from your herbes, and flowers, and early fruits. And so likewise I iudge for the hill side, that it may lye full open to the South Sunne, and, the house aboue it, both for the comfort the ground shall receiue of the water and raine descending into it, and of defence from winter and colds. Now for the plaine leuell ground, the buildings of the house should be on the North side of the garden, that so they might bee a defence of much sufficiency to safeguard it from many iniurious cold nights and dayes, which else might spoyle the pride thereof in the bud. But because euery one cannot so appoint his dwelling, as I here appoint the fittest place for it to be, euery ones pleasure thereof shall be according to the site, cost, and endeauours they bestow, to cause it come nearest to this proportion, by such helpes of bricke or stone wals to defend it, or by the helpe of high growne and well spread trees, planted on the North side thereof, to keepe it the warmer. And euery of these three situations, hauing the fairest buildings of the house facing the garden in this manner before specified, besides the benefit of shelter it shall haue from them, the buildings and roomes abutting thereon, shall haue reciprocally the beautifull prospect into it, and haue both sight and sent of whatsoeuer is excellent, and worthy to giue content out of it, which is one of the greatest pleasures a garden can yeeld his Master. Now hauing shewed you the best place where this your garden should be, let me likewise aduise you where it should not be, at least that it is the worst place wherein it may be, if it be either on the West or East side of your house, or that it stand in a moorish ground, or other vnwholsome ayre (for many, both fruits, herbes, and flowers that are tender, participate with the ayre, taking in a manner their chiefest thriuing from thence) or neare any common Lay-stalles, or common Sewers, or else neare any great Brew-house, Dye-house, or any other place where there is much smoake, whether it be of straw, wood, or especially of sea-coales, which of all other is the worst, as our Citie of London can giue proofe sufficient, wherein neither herbe nor tree will long prosper, nor hath done euer since the vse of sea-coales beganne to bee frequent therein. And likewise that it is much the worse, if it bee neare vnto any Barnes or Stackes of corne or hey, because that from thence will continually with the winde bee brought into the garden the strawe and chaffe of the corne, the dust and seede of the hey to choake or pester it. Next vnto the place or situation, let mee shew you the grounds or soyles for it, eyther naturall or artificiall. No man will deny, but the naturall blacke mould is not only the fattest and richest, but farre exceedeth any other either naturall or artificiall, as well in goodnesse as durability. And next thereunto, I hold the sandy loame (which is light and yet firme, but not loose as sand, nor stiffe like vnto clay) to be little inferiour for this our Garden of pleasure; for that it doth cause all bulbous and tuberous rooted plants to thriue sufficiently therein, as likewise all other flower-plants, Roses, Trees, &c. which if it shall decay by much turning and working out the heart of it, may soone be helped with old stable manure of horses, being well turned in, when it is old and almost conuerted to mould. Other grounds, as chalke, sand, grauell, or clay, are euery of them one more or lesse fertill or barren than other; and therefore doe require such helpes as is most fit for them. And those grounds that are ouer dry, loose, and dustie, the manure of stall fedde beasts and cattell being buried or trenched into the earth, and when it is thorough rotten (which will require twice the time that the stable soyle of horses will) well turned and mixed with the earth, is the best soyle to temper both the heate and drinesse of them. So contrariwise the stable dung of horses is the best for cold grounds, to giue them heate and life. But of all other sorts of grounds, the stiffe clay is the very worst for this purpose; for that although you should digge out the whole compasse of your Garden, carry it away, and bring other good mould in the stead thereof, and fill vp the place, yet the nature of that clay is so predominant, that in a small time it will eate out the heart of the good mould, and conuert it to its owne nature, or very neare vnto it: so that to bring it to any good, there must bee continuall labour bestowed thereon, by bringing into it good store of chalke, lime, or sand, or else ashes eyther of wood or of sea-coales (which is the best for this ground) well mixed and turned in with it. And as this stiffe clay is the worst, so what ground soeuer commeth nearest vnto the nature thereof, is neared vnto it in badnesse, the signes whereof are the ouermuch moysture thereof in Winter, and the much cleaning and chapping thereof in Summer, when the heate of the yeare hath consumed the moysture, which tyed and bound it fast together, as also the stiffe and hard working therein: but if the nature of the clay bee not too stiffe, but as it were tempered and mixed with sand or other earths, your old stable soyle of horses will helpe well the small rifting or chapping thereof, to be plentifully bestowed therin in a fit season. Some also do commend the casting of ponds and ditches, to helpe to manure these stiffe chapping grounds. Other grounds, that are ouermoist by springs, that lye too neare the vpper face of the earth, besides that the beds thereof had need to be laid vp higher, and the allies, as trenches and furrowes, to lye lower, the ground it selfe had neede to haue some good store of chalke-stones bestowed thereon, some certaine yeares, if it may be, before it be laid into a Garden, that the Winter frosts may breake the chalke small, and the Raine dissolue it into mould, that so they may bee well mixed together; than which, there is not any better manure to soyle such a moist ground, to helpe to dry vp the moysture, and to giue heate and life to the coldnesse thereof, which doth alwayes accompany these moist grounds, and also to cause it abide longer in heart than any other. For the sandy and grauelly grounds, although I know the well mollified manure of beasts and cattell to be excellent good, yet I know also, that some commend a white Marle, and some a clay to be well spread thereon, and after turned thereinto: and for the chalkie ground, è conuerso, I commend fatte clay to helpe it. You must vnderstand, that the lesse rich or more barren that your ground is, there needeth the more care, labour, and cost to bee bestowed thereon, both to order it rightly, & so to preserue it from time to time: for no artificiall or forc’t ground can endure good any long time, but that within a few yeares it must be refreshed more or lesse, according as it doth require. Yet you shall likewise vnderstand, that this Garden of pleasure stored with these Out-landish flowers; that is, bulbous and tuberous rooted plants, and other fine flowers, that I haue hereafter described, and assigned vnto it, needeth not so much or so often manuring with soyle, &c. as another Garden planted with the other sorts of English flowers, or a Garden of ordinary Kitchin herbes doth. Your ground likewise for this Garden had neede to bee well cleansed from all annoyances (that may hinder the well doing or prospering of the flowers therein) as stones, weedes, rootes of trees, bushes, &c. and all other things cumbersome or hurtfull; and therefore the earth being not naturally fine enough of it selfe, is vsed to bee fitted to make it the finer, and that either through a hurdle made of sticks, or lathes, or through square or round sieues platted with fine and strong thin stickes, or with wyers in the bottome. Or else the whole earth of the Garden being course, may be cast in the same manner that men vse to try or fine sand from grauell, that is, against a wall; whereby the courser and more stony, falling downe from the fine, is to be taken away from the foote of the heape, the finer sand and ground remaining still aboue, and on the heape. Or else in the want of a wall to cast it against, I haue seene earth fined by it selfe in this manner: Hauing made the floore or vpper part of a large plat of ground cleane from stones, &c. let there a reasonable round heape of fine earth be set in the midst thereof, or in stead thereof a large Garden flowerpot, or other great pot, the bottome turned vpwards, and then poure your course earth on the top or head thereof, one shouell full after another somewhat gently, and thereby all the course stuffe and stones will fall downe to the bottome round about the heape, which must continually be carefully taken away, and thus you may make your earth as fine as if it were cast against a wall, the heape being growne great, seruing in stead thereof. Those that will not prepare their grounds in some of these manners aforesaid, shall soone finde to their losse the neglect thereof: for the trash and stones shall so hinder the encrease of their roots, that they will be halfe lost in the earth among the stones, which else might be saued to serue to plant wheresoeuer they please.
Chap. II.
The frame or forme of a Garden of delight and pleasure, with the seuerall varieties thereof.
Although many men must be content with any plat of ground, of what forme or quantity soeuer it bee, more or lesse, for their Garden, because a more large or conuenient cannot bee had to their habitation: Yet I perswade my selfe, that Gentlemen of the better sort and quality, will prouide such a parcell of ground to bee laid out for their Garden, and in such conuenient manner, as may be fit and answerable to the degree they hold. To prescribe one forme for euery man to follow, were too great presumption and folly: for euery man will please his owne fancie, according to the extent he designeth out for that purpose, be it orbicular or round, triangular or three square, quadrangular or foure square, or more long than broad. I will onely shew you here the seuerall formes that many men haue taken and delighted in, let euery man chuse which him liketh best, or may most fitly agree to that proportion of ground hee hath set out for that purpose. The orbicular or round forme is held in it owne proper existence, to be the most absolute forme, containing within it all other formes whatsoeuer; but few I thinke will chuse such a proportion to be ioyned to their habitation, being not accepted any where I think, but for the generall Garden to the Vniuersity at Padoa. The triangular or three square is such a forme also, as is seldome chosen by any that may make another choise, and as I thinke is onely had where another forme cannot be had, necessitie constraining them to be therewith content. The foure square forme is the most vsually accepted with all, and doth best agree to any mans dwelling, being (as I said before) behinde the house, all the backe windowes thereof opening into it. Yet if it bee longer than the breadth, or broader than the length, the proportion of walkes, squares, and knots may be soon brought to the square forme, and be so cast, as the beauty thereof may bee no lesse than the foure square proportion, or any other better forme, if any be. To forme it therfore with walks, crosse the middle both waies, and round about it also with hedges, with squares, knots and trayles, or any other worke within the foure square parts, is according as euery mans conceit alloweth of it, and they will be at the charge: For there may be therein walkes eyther open or close, eyther publike or priuate, a maze or wildernesse, a rocke or mount, with a fountaine in the midst thereof to conuey water to euery part of the Garden, eyther in pipes vnder the ground, or brought by hand, and emptied into large Cisternes or great Turkie Iarres, placed in conuenient places, to serue as an ease to water the nearest parts thereunto. Arbours also being both gracefull and necessary, may be appointed in such conuenient places, as the corners, or else where, as may be most fit, to serue both for shadow and rest after walking. And because many are desirous to see the formes of trayles, knots, and other compartiments, and because the open knots are more proper for these Out-landish flowers; I haue here caused some to be drawne, to satisfie their desires, not intending to cumber this worke with ouer manie, in that it would be almost endlesse, to expresse so many as might bee conceiued and set downe, for that euery man may inuent others farre differing from these, or any other can be set forth. Let euery man therefore, if hee like of these, take what may please his mind, or out of these or his own conceit, frame any other to his fancy, or cause others to be done as he liketh best, obseruing this decorum, that according to his ground he do cast out his knots, with conuenient roome for allies and walkes; for the fairer and larger your allies and walkes be, the more grace your Garden shall haue, the lesse harme the herbes and flowers shall receiue, by passing by them that grow next vnto the allies sides, and the better shall your Weeders cleanse both the beds and the allies.
Chap. III.
The many sorts of herbes and other things, wherewith the beds and parts of knots are bordered to set out the forme of them, with their commodities and discommodities.
It is necessary also, that I shew you the seuerall materials, wherewith these knots and trayles are set forth and bordered; which are of two sorts: The one are liuing herbes, and the other are dead materials; as leade, boords, bones, tyles, &c. Of herbes, there are many sorts wherewith the knots and beds in a Garden are vsed to bee set, to shew forth the forme of them, and to preserue them the longer in their forme, as also to be as greene, and sweete herbes, while they grow, to be cut to perfume the house, keeping them in such order and proportion, as may be most conuenient for their seuerall natures, and euery mans pleasure and fancy: Of all which, I intend to giue you the knowledge here in this place; and first, to begin with that which hath beene most anciently receiued, which is Thrift. This is an euerliuing greene herbe, which many take to border their beds, and set their knots and trayles, and therein much delight, because it will grow thicke and bushie, and may be kept, being cut with a paire of Garden sheeres, in some good handsome manner and proportion for a time, and besides, in the Summer time send forth many short stalkes of pleasant flowers, to decke vp an house among other sweete herbes: Yet these inconueniences doe accompany it; it will not onely in a small time ouergrow the knot or trayle in many places, by growing so thicke and bushie, that it will put out the forme of a knot in many places: but also much thereof will dye with the frosts and snowes in Winter, and with the drought in Summer, whereby many voide places will be seene in the knot, which doth much deforme it, and must therefore bee yearely refreshed: the thicknesse also and bushing thereof doth hide and shelter snayles and other small noysome wormes so plentifully, that Gilloflowers, and other fine herbes and flowers being planted therein, are much spoyled by them, and cannot be helped without much industry, and very great and daily attendance to destroy them. Germander is another herbe, in former times also much vsed, and yet also in many places; and because it will grow thicke, and may be kept also in some forme and proportion with cutting, and that the cuttings are much vsed as a strawing herbe for houses, being pretty and sweete, is also much affected by diuers: but this also will often dye and grow out of forme, and besides that, the stalkes will grow too great, hard and stubby, the rootes doe so farre shoote vnder ground, that, vpon a little continuance thereof, will spread into many places within the knot, which if continually they be not plucked vp, they will spoile the whole knot it selfe; and therefore once in three or foure yeares at the most, it must be taken vp and new set, or else it will grow too roynish and cumbersome. Hyssope hath also been vsed to be set about a knot, and being sweete, will serue for strewings, as Germander: But this, although the rootes doe not runne or creep like it, yet the stalkes doe quickly grow great aboue ground, and dye often after the first yeares setting, whereby the grace of the knot will be much lost. Marierome, Sauorie, and Thyme, in the like manner being sweete herbes, are vsed to border vp beds and knots, and will be kept for a little while, with cutting, into some conformity; but all and euery of them serve most commonly but for one yeares vse, and will soone decay and perish: and therefore none of these, no more than any of the former, doe I commend for a good bordering herbe for this purpose. Lauander Cotton also being finely slipped and set, is of many, and those of the highest respect of late daies, accepted, both for the beauty and forme of the herbe, being of a whitish greene mealy colour, for his sent smelling somewhat strong, and being euerliuing and abiding greene all the Winter, will, by cutting, be kept in as euen proportion as any other herbe may be. This will likewise soone grow great and stubbed, notwithstanding the cutting, and besides will now and then perish in some places, especially if you doe not strike or put off the snow, before the Sunne lying vpon it dissolue it: The rarity & nouelty of this herbe, being for the most part but in the Gardens of great persons, doth cause it to be of the greater regard, it must therfore be renewed wholly euery second or third yeare at the most, because of the great growing therof. Slips of Iuniper or Yew are also receiued of some & planted, because they are alwayes green, and that the Iuniper especially hath not that ill sent that Boxe hath, which I will presently commend vnto you, yet both Iuniper and Yew will soon grow too great and stubbed, and force you to take vp your knot sooner, than if it were planted with Boxe. Which lastly, I chiefly and aboue all other herbes commend vnto you, and being a small, lowe, or dwarfe kinde, is called French or Dutch Boxe, and serueth very well to set out any knot, or border out any beds: for besides that it is euer greene, it being reasonable thicke set, will easily be cut and formed into any fashion one will, according to the nature thereof, which is to grow very slowly, and will not in a long time rise to be of any height, but shooting forth many small branches from the roote, will grow very thicke, and yet not require so great tending, nor so much perish as any of the former, and is onely receiued into the Gardens of those that are curious. This (as I before said) I commend and hold to bee the best and surest herbe to abide faire and greene in all the bitter stormes of the sharpest Winter, and all the great heates and droughts of Summer, and doth recompence the want of a good sweet sent with his fresh verdure, euen proportion, and long lasting continuance. Yet these inconueniences it hath, that besides the vnpleasing sent which many mislike, and yet is but small, the rootes of this Boxe do so much spread themselues into the ground of the knot, and doe draw from thence so much nourishment, that it robbeth all the herbes that grow neare it of their sap and substance, thereby making all the earth about it barren, or at least lesse fertile. Wherefore to shew you the remedy of this inconuenience of spreading, without either taking vp the Boxe of the border, or the herbes and flowers in the knot, is I thinke a secret knowne but vnto a few, which is this: You shall take a broad pointed Iron like vnto a Slise or Chessill, which thrust downe right into the ground a good depth all along the inside of the border of Boxe somewhat close thereunto, you may thereby cut away the spreading rootes thereof, which draw so much moisture from the other herbes on the inside, and by this meanes both preserue your herbes and flowers in the knot, and your Boxe also, for that the Boxe will be nourished sufficiently from the rest of the rootes it shooteth on all the other sides. And thus much for the liuing herbes, that serue to set or border vp any knot. Now for the dead materials, they are also, as I said before diuers: as first, Leade, which some that are curious doe border their knots withall, causing it to be cut of the breadth of foure fingers, bowing the lower edge a little outward, that it may lye vnder the vpper crust of the ground, and that it may stand the faster, and making the vpper edge either plain, or cut out like vnto the battlements of a Church: this fashion hath delighted some, who haue accounted it stately (at the least costly) and fit for their degree, and the rather, because it will be bowed and bended into any round square, angular, or other proportion as one listeth, and is not much to be misliked, in that the Leade doth not easily breake or spoile without much iniury, and keepeth vp a knot for a very long time in his due proportion: but in my opinion, the Leade is ouer-hot for Summer, and ouer-cold for Winter. Others doe take Oaken inch boords, and sawing them foure or fiue inches broad, do hold vp their knot therewith: but in that these boordes cannot bee drawne compasse into any small scantling, they must serue rather for long outright beds, or such knots as haue no rounds, halfe rounds or compassings in them. And besides, these boordes are not long lasting, because they stand continually in the weather, especially the ends where they are fastened together will soonest rot and perish, and so the whole forme will be spoyled. To preuent that fault, some others haue chosen the shanke bones of Sheep, which after they haue beene well cleansed and boyled, to take out the fat from them, are stucke into the ground the small end downewards, and the knockle head vpwards, and thus being set side to side, or end to end close together, they set out the whole knot therewith, which heads of bones although they looke not white the first yeare, yet after they haue abiden some frosts and heates will become white, and prettily grace out the ground: but this inconvenience is incident to them, that the Winter frosts will raise them out of the ground oftentimes, and if by chance the knockle head of any doe breake, or be strucke off with any ones foot, &c. going by, from your store, that lyeth by you of the same sort, set another in the place, hauing first taken away the broken peece: although these will last long in forme and order, yet because they are but bones many mislike them, and indeed I know but few that vse them. Tyles are also vsed by some, which by reason they may bee brought compasse into any fashion many are pleased with them, who doe not take the whole Tyle at length, but halfe Tyles, and other broken pieces set somewhat deepe, into the ground, that they may stand fast, and these take vp but little roome, and keepe vp the edge of the beds and knots in a pretty comely manner, but they are often out of frame, in that many of them are broken and spoiled, both with mens feete passing by, the weather and weight of the earth beating them downe and breaking them, but especially the frosts in Winter doe so cracke off their edges, both at the toppes and sides that stand close one vnto another, that they must be continually tended and repaired with fresh and sound ones put in the place of them that are broken or decayed. And lastly (for it is the latest inuention) round whitish or blewish pebble stones, of some reasonable proportion and bignesse, neither too great nor too little, haue beene vsed by some to be set, or rather in a manner but laide vpon the ground to fashion out the traile or knot, or all along by the large grauelly walke sides to set out the walke, and maketh a pretty handsome shew, and because the stones will not decay with the iniuries of any time or weather, and will be placed in their places againe, if any should be thrust out by any accident, as also that their sight is so conspicuous vpon the ground, especially if they be not hid with the store of herbes growing in the knot; is accounted both for durability, beauty of the sight, handsomnesse in the worke, and ease in the working and charge, to be of all other dead materials the chiefest. And thus, Gentlemen, I haue shewed you all the varieties that I know are vsed by any in our Countrey, that are worth the reciting (but as for the fashion of Iawe-bones, vsed by some in the Low Countries, and other places beyond the Seas, being too grosse and base, I make no mention of them) among which euery one may take what pleaseth him best, or may most fitly be had, or may best agree with the ground or knot. Moreouer, all these herbes that serue for borderings, doe serue as well to be set vpon the ground of a leuelled knot; that is, where the allies and foot-pathes are of the same leuell with the knot, as they may serue also for the raised knot, that is, where the beds of the knot are raised higher than the allies; but both Leade, Boordes, Bones, and Tyles, are only for the raised ground, be it knot or beds. The pebble stones againe are onely for the leuelled ground, because they are so shallow, that as I said before, they rather lye vpon the earth than are thrust any way into it. All this that I haue here set downe, you must vnderstand is proper for the knots alone of a Garden. But for to border the whole square or knot about, to serue as a hedge thereunto, euery one taketh what liketh him best; as either Priuet alone, or sweete Bryer, and white Thorne enterlaced together, and Roses of one, or two, or more sorts placed here and there amongst them. Some also take Lauander, Rosemary, Sage, Southernwood, Lauander Cotton, or some such other thing. Some againe plant Cornell Trees, and plash them, or keepe them lowe, to forme them into an hedge. And some againe take a lowe prickly shrubbe, that abideth alwayes greene, described in [the end of this Booke], called in Latine Pyracantha, which in time will make an euer greene hedge or border, and when it beareth fruit, which are red berries like vnto Hawthorne berries, make a glorious shew among the greene leaues in the Winter time, when no other shrubbes haue fruit or leaues.