134 ENGLISH PLEASURE GARDENS 



comparison with this present the ancient gardens were 

 but dung-hills and laistovves to such as did possess 

 them. How art also helpeth nature in the daily col- 

 ouring, doubling and enlarging the proportion of our 

 flowers, it is incredible to report; for so curious and 

 cunning are our gardeners now in these days that 

 they presume to do in manner 'what they list with 

 nature and moderate her course in things as if they 

 were her superiors. 

 Naturaiiza- " It is a world also to see how many strange herbs, 



tion of 



exotics. plants, and annual fruits are daily brought unto us 

 from the Indies, Americans, Taprobane, Canary Isles, 

 and all parts of the world. . . . There is not almost 

 one noble gentleman or merchant that hath not great 

 store of these flowers, which now also begin to wax 

 so well acquainted with our soils that we may almost 

 account of them as parcel of our own commodities. 

 They have no less regard for medicinable herbs 

 fetched out of other countries nearer hand: inso- 

 much that I have seen in some one garden to the 

 number of three or four hundred of them if not 

 more, the half of whose names within forty years past 

 we had no manner of knowledge." 



In conclusion he states with just pride, although 

 with questionable authority, " I am persuaded that 

 albeit the gardens of the Hesperides were so greatly 

 accounted of because of their delicacy, yet if it were 



