i 4 THE BOOK OF TOPIARY 



Gerard (1545-1607), the famous old Herbalist who 

 was gardener to Lord BurghJey in the reign of Elizabeth, 

 does not enlighten us as to the use of clipped trees, but 

 Parkinson, another and equally famous Herbalist, who 

 was born in 1567 and died about 1640, does give us a 

 little information on the subject. Parkinson was 

 Apothecary to James I., and Charles II. made him 

 Botanicus Regius Primarius ; he therefore had the 

 advantage of exceptional opportunities for studying the 

 plants of his time and their uses. Indeed some of the 

 quaintest things ever printed are the accounts of the 

 "Virtues" of the several parts of the plants described 

 by Parkinson and by Gerard. Pointing out that the yew 

 was largely used both for "shadow and an ornament," 

 Parkinson seems to regret that the privet had not re- 

 ceived proper attention at the hands of Topiarists simply 

 because of its widespread use as a hedge plant, and he 

 advocates its further employment by remarking that 

 " to make hedges or arbours in gardens ... it is so apt 

 that no other can be like unto it, to be cut, lead, and 

 drawn into what forme one will, either of beasts, birds, 

 or men armed or otherwise." 



Because of its comparatively slow rate of growth the 

 yew has been the subject usually employed by topiarists, 

 while box is a good second in point of popularity. Both 

 these trees or shrubs have the additional merit of 

 longevity. Wordsworth points out both the slow 

 growth and longevity of the yew in his lines : 



" There is a yew-tree, pride of Lorton Vale, 

 Which to this day stands single, in the midst 

 Of its own darkness, as it stood of yore, 

 Not loth to furnish weapons for the bands 

 Of Umfraville or Percy ere they marched 

 To Scotland's heaths ; or those that crossed the sea 

 And drew their sounding bows at Azincour, 

 Perhaps at earlier Crecy, or Poictiers. 

 Of vast circumference and gloom profound 

 This solitary tree I a living thing 



