"THE CURIOUS KNOTTED GARDEN" 33 



speare's death, Parkinson's book describes exactly the 

 style of gardens and the variety of flowers that were 

 familiar to Shakespeare; and to this book we may 

 go with confidence to learn more intimately the 

 aspect of what we may call the Shakespeare garden.. 

 In it we learn to our surprise that horticulture in the 

 late Tudor and early Stuart days was not in the 

 simple state that it is generally supposed to have 

 been in. There were flower fanciers in and near 

 London and indeed throughout England and 

 there were expert gardeners and florists. 



Parkinson was very friendly with the other Lon- 

 don flower growers of whom he speaks cordially in 

 his book and with never the least shadow of jealousy. 

 He frequently mentions visiting the gardens of 

 Gerard, Nicholas Leate, and Ralph Tuggy (or 

 Tuggie). 



Everybody has heard of Gerard's "Herbal or 

 General Historic of Plants," published in 1597, for 

 it is one of the most famous ancient books on flowers. 

 A contemporary botanist said that "Gerard exceeded 

 most, if not all of his time, in his care, industry and 

 skill in raising, increasing, and preserving plants." 

 For twenty years Gerard was superintendent of 

 Lord Burleigh's famous gardens one of which was 

 in the Strand, London, and the other at Theobald's 



