GEORGE LONDON 125 



London was a pupil of Rose, Gardener to Charles II., and founder of the GEORGE 

 Brompton Park Nursery. He and Wise were authors of * The Compleat LONDON 

 Gardener' {abridged from de la Quintinye), and of'' The Retir'd Gard'ner' in u'ctmwv'^^"^ 

 two volumes. Vol. /., a Translation of ^ Le Jardinier Solitaire, or Dialogues VVISE 

 between a Gentleman and a Gardiner ^ {Fruit and Kitchen Garden). Vol. II., 

 containing the manner of planting and cultivating all sorts of Flowers .... 

 beitig a translation from *Z<? Jardinier Fleuriste et Historiographer written 

 by the Sieur Liger of Atixerre. 



Evelyn devotes the "Advertisement" of his translation of La Quintinye's 

 'Compleat Gardner ' to an eulogy of London and Wise, in which he commends 

 their industry, knowledge of Nature and genius of Soils, their powers of Design, 

 and their ample Collection at Brompton Park, near Kensington. 



When Wise was appointed to the care of the Royal Gardens by Queen Anne, 

 London used to make riding Circuits of the principal Gardens of England. 



Gard^ier. 

 npHE Distribution of Four acres for a fruit and kitchin garden, 

 *- according to the figure I here present you, is the most 

 approv'd of, both in regard to fruit-trees and legumes. 



Gentleman. 

 Wherein does the beauty of it consist ? 



Gard'ner. 



You may observe it in the figure before you : you see 'tis more 

 deep than broad ; the Alleys are of a good size, adorn'd with 

 Borders Three Foot deep on each side, edged with several sorts 

 of Aromatick Herbs. ... In my Opinion there's nothing more 

 ingenious belonging to a Garden, than the different Ways of 

 marking our different Figures in a Parterre, especially when the 

 design happens to be well contrived, and the Execution of it 

 perform'd by a skilful Hand. 



Formerly Gardens did not require so great Exactness as now, 

 and Art suffer'd Nature to bring forth her Productions as confus'd 

 as she pleas'd ; a Flower that should have been the chief Ornament 

 of the Garden lay hid, and languish'd among others of less Value, 

 which tarnish'd all its Beauty. It was not then known what was 

 meant by knots parted by Box, which had it been form'd in all the 

 figures Fancy could suggest, would have afforded a pleasure to the 

 Eye not easie to be express'd. 



