76 THE FORMAL GARDEN IN ENGLAND iv 



Compton, Bishop of London, Cook to the Earl 

 of Essex, Lucre to the Queen Dowager at 

 Somerset House, Field to the Earl of Bedford. 

 According to Switzer, this firm laid out the 

 gardens at Longleat, each of the partners staying 

 there one month in turn. Lucre and Field died, 

 and London bought out Cook, and shortly 

 afterwards took Wise into partnership. George 

 London and Henry Wise were the two most 

 celebrated English gardeners of their time. 

 London was " superintendent of their Majesties' 

 gardens" at ^^200 a year, and a page of the 

 backstairs to Queen Mary. Besides the royal 

 gardens, the firm directed most of the great 

 gardens of England. Hampton Court, Kensing- 

 ton Gardens, Blenheim, Wanstead, in Essex, 

 Edger, in Herts, and Melbourne, in Derbyshire, 

 were among their principal works. London 

 seems to have fallen out of favour with Queen 

 Anne. Switzer says, " Queen Anne (of pious 

 memory) committed the care of her gardens in 

 chief to Mr. Wise, Mr. London still pursuing 

 his business in the country." London used to 

 divide his business into circuits, spending six 

 weeks on his northern circuit, and riding 50 to 

 60 miles a day ; and it appears from a flaming 

 advertisement, published by Evelyn at the be- 

 ginning of his translation of De la Quintinye, 

 that London and W^ise undertook garden design 

 of all sorts, as well as horticulture. Switzer, 

 who had his own advertisement to make, speaks 



