THE ELIZABETHAN FLOWER-GARDEN 129 



As an art this garden making was imbued with the AS an art. 

 creative as well as the imitative spirit of the Renais- 

 sance. Men's eyes were opened, as if for the first time, 

 to the charming aspects of life old and 

 new, past and present. A delight in the 

 beauty of nature as well as in that of 

 artistic invention seemed to develop spon- 

 taneously. Its practical outcome was the 

 creation of a style of decoration known as that of the 

 early English Renaissance, which was applied to every 

 branch of design, and finally clothed the garden in 

 fanciful array. 



Past records, especially of classic Greece and Italy, AS a craft, 

 were searched for information concerning the growth 

 and arrangement of plants and the garden's architec- 

 tural features. The early books on horticulture, 

 such as Hill's "Arte of Gardening," teem with 

 quotations from Columella, Cato, and other ancient 

 husbandmen who were considered great authorities. 

 Gerard, in his herbal published in 1597, says, for 

 instance : 



" Besides these and other causes there are many classic 

 examples of those that have honoured this science ; for pree 

 to pass by a multitude of philosophers, it may please 

 your Honour to call to remembrance that which you 

 know of some noble Princes that have joyned this 

 studie with their most important matters of state : 



