292 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



A very attractive arrangement was at Penshurst, 

 Kent, the home of the Sidney family. It is described 

 thus: "Garden on south and west, ground sloping 

 to south and west, house on a grass platform, about 

 nine feet above the garden level. Along the south- 

 west side of the flower-garden a broad grass-terrace, 

 and near the house a few steps lead to the yew alley, 

 at the end of which is a quaint old sun-dial known 

 as the Turk's Head." 



The yew alley was evidently a pleached alley. 



XIV 



The Pleached Alley 



The "Pleached Alley," another typical feature of 

 the Elizabethan garden (from the French pies sir, 

 to weave), is nothing more nor less than a thickly 

 covered walk. In Shakespeare's time this was con- 

 structed of woven boughs and climbing vines and 

 flowers, or a series of arbors. The old prints and 

 pictures show them to be complete tunnels of 

 greenery. We can make a pleached alley to-day by 

 setting up a pergola and smothering it with flowers 

 and vines. Ironwork arches covered with roses, 

 honeysuckle, and other creepers will produce the 

 proper effect. A latticework trellis covered with 



