94 A BOOK OF ENGLISH GARDENS 



more than the old Garden writers ; for instance, 

 Parkinson who writes so prettily of herbs, puts 

 Lavender first among the many at the end of 

 his " Garden of Pleasant Flowers " : " After all 

 these faire and sweete flowers, I must needes adde 

 a few sweete herbes, both to accomplish this 

 Garden, and to please your senses, by placing 

 them in your nosegays, or elsewhere, as you list. 

 And although I bring them in the end or last 

 place, yet are they not of the least account." 

 He goes on to say that the pretty blue " Lavender 

 is little used in inward physicke, but outwardly ; 

 the oyle for cold and benummed parts and is 

 almost wholly spent with us for to perfume linnen, 

 apparrell, gloves, leather, etc., and the dryed 

 flowers to comfort and dry up the moisture of 

 a cold braine." Perhaps this latter is the origin 

 of Lavender salts, which are thought so good for a 

 cold in its first stage. 



A marvellous number of herbs are to be found 

 in this quaint and original Garden, and round an 

 Armillary Sphere, which forms an appropriate 

 centre-piece, Lavender bushes are planted in circles, 

 giving a most delicious scent. Outside these cir- 

 cular beds of Lavender is a semicircular bed filled 

 with herbs, their names quaintly cut beside them 

 in the terra-cotta edging, giving in an unobtrusive 

 manner additional interest to the border. Among 

 the herbs are : Bay, Sweet Basil, Burnet, Thyme, 



