54 A HISTORY OF GARDEXIXG IX EXGLAXD. 



With grene wythyes }• bounden wonderlye 



Tlie leeves wore so thicke wzVA-out faile 



That thorough-oute myghte no mann me espve." 



The flowers around an arbour are described in a fourteenth- 

 century poem, entitled " The Pearl " : — 



" I entered in ///at erber grene 

 In augoste in a high seysoun 



* * * 



Schadowed tins wortej ful sch^re * and schene 

 Gilofre,f gyngurej & groomylyon § 

 t<c p\-onys powdered ay betwene." 



Each garden contained some kind of cistern for water, and in 

 many cases a fountain elaborateh- ornamented was placed in 

 the centre, or in some conspicuous position. The illustration 

 shows the ordinar}- fountain of a good garden of the day, 

 introduced to represent Rebecca's well, and many good repre- 

 sentations of such fountains are to be found in lifteenth century 

 MSS. II 



The varieties of flowers planted in these gardens were not 

 very numerous, but those few kinds grew in great profusion : — 



" Ther sprang the violete al newe, 

 And fresshe per\-inke riche of hewe, 

 And floures yelowe, wh}-te and rede : 

 Swich plentee grew ther never in mede. 

 Ful gay was al the ground, and queynt 

 And poudred, as men had it peynt, 

 With man}' a fresh and sondry flour, 

 That casten up a ful good savour." ■[ 



The periwinkle, or parwinke, ^^•as a general favourite. It was 

 a plant well suited to cover and brighten the ground in the 

 shady corners of the garden, and thus gained the appropriate 

 name of " Joy of the ground." 



" Parwynke is an erbe grene of colour 

 In tyme of May he bervth bio flour 



* = bright. -j" = clove-pinks. 



X = tansy. \ =gro)nivcU. 



|i See B. ]\T^ ' i4.~E. 2. f. 77, &c. 

 ^Chaucer, Moin'aunt of tlie Rose. L, 1431. 



