EVOLUTION OF THE SHAKESPEARE 

 GARDEN 



The Medieval Pleasance 



SHAKESPEARE was familiar with two kinds 

 of gardens: the stately and magnificent gar- 

 den that embellished the castles and manor- 

 houses of the nobility and gentry ; and the small and 

 simple garden such as he had himself at Stratford- 

 on-Avon and such as he walked through when he 

 visited Ann Hathaway in her cottage at Shottery. 



The latter is the kind that is now associated with 

 Shakespeare's name; and when garden lovers de- 

 vote a section of their grounds to a "Shakespeare 

 garden" it is the small, enclosed garden, such as 

 Perdita must have had, that they endeavor to re- 

 produce. 



The small garden of Shakespeare's day, which we 

 so lovingly call by his name, was a little pleasure 

 garden a garden to stroll in and to sit in. The 



