a ae 
played in quaint knots, defigned with geometric {fkill, and 
edged with box *, It is true, as Moryfon fays, that in his time 
* Ireland was not quite deftitute of flowers,” and inftances the 
county of Kilkenny as moft abounding in them. A few 
flowers might, perhaps, have been propagated by the Englith. 
fettlers; but it is to the Hugonots we are to attribute their 
diffufion through the kingdom, and to them therefore I have: 
ventured to give the honour of their introduction t. I would,, 
however, be underftood to fpeak of exotics, for many a beau- 
uful flower grows fpontaneoufly in feveral parts of this king- 
dom where the human foot has feldom made an impreffion §,. 
To the Hugonots too are we chiefly indebted for our know- 
ledge of the ufe of the fheers, that enemy “ to the lovely 
“ wildnefs. 
* Thefe knots were probably conftruéted according to the rules laid down by Markham. See 
Engl. Hufband. par. ii. p. 207. Several of his patterns of knots and mazes I find faithfully. 
copied in a mufic book now before me, dated in 1'700, which appears to have belonged to an: 
eminent gardener in the county of Meath. The barras or box employed in edging thofe knots. 
was an article of importation in the reign of Charles II. See Bacon’s Book of Rates. 
+ It is fomewhere recorded that when the Earl of Effex, in his progrefs through Treland 
in the year 1599, vifited Kilkenny, among({t other demontftrations of joy the ftreets were ftrewed 
with flowers. 
f In the reign of George I. fome of the Hugonots of Dublin, together with a few of their 
fellow citizens, formed themfelves into.a club, called « The Florift’s Club,”” for the parpofe of 
furthering the cultivation of flowers in this kingdom. They held their meetings, for many years, 
at the Rofe-T'avern in Dramcondra-lane (now Dorfet-{treet), where they adjudged premiums to 
the members who produced the moft beautiful flowers to the Club on given days. This club 
exifted till’ the clofe of the reign of George II, The Rofe-Tavern is ftill in being. 
§ Mr. Leflie, in his poem of Kilarney already quoted, fpeaks of feveral flowers and fhrubs 
growing naturally on the mountain of Mangerton, which hold a diftinguifhed rank amongft the 
favourite productions of the modern garden; but he omits the myrtle, which flourifhes not only 
in the wilds of the counties of Wexford and Wicklow, but on feyeral of the iflands ia the lake 
of Killarney. r 
