THE ELIZABETHAN FLOWER GARDEN loi 



us that I know."^ The alley remaining at Hampton Court 

 is of wych-elm. At Theobalds these trees were chiefly used in 

 those alleys where " one might walk twoe myle in the walkes 

 before he came to their ends." At Drayton, in Northampton- 

 shire, there are two fine specimens of pleached alleys, and the 

 gnarled stems of the wych-elms forming them bear testimony 

 to their age. The " covert walks " were sometimes made with a 

 trellis of wood-work, planted with creepers, such as were in 

 vogue in earlier times, " made like galleries," " covered with y'' 

 vine spreading all over, or some other trees which more pleased 

 them. "2 



Mounts still formed an important accessory to the garden. 

 Bacon, who, it must be remembered, was " speaking of those 

 (gardens) which are indeed princelike," thus describes the 

 mount : " I wish," he says, " in the middle, a fair mount, with 

 three ascents, and alleys enough for four to walk abreast ; 

 which I would have to be perfect circles, without any bulwarks 

 or embossments : and the whole mount to be 30 feet high, 

 surmounted by a fine banquetting-house with some chimneys 

 neatly cast." Such banqueting-houses were often made merely 

 for some special occasion, and decorated with ivy and ever- 

 greens, to give them the appearance of permanency. This was 

 an age that delighted in pageants, and what more fitting back- 

 ground for their display than the beautiful gardens that this 

 same love of display was creating and developing. When any 

 pageant or " re veils " took place, additions were made to the 

 arbours or banqueting-houses in the garden, to accommodate 

 the guests. In June, 1554, " certaine banqueting-houses of 

 Bowes { = boiighs) and other devices of pleasure," were to be 

 made at Oatlands, and Sir Thomas Cawarden, as " Master of 

 the Tents and Toyles," received a royal command to superin- 

 tend their erection as he had " good experience heretofore in lyk 

 things."^ The following extracts show some of his past experi- 

 ences, both what he had to do, and the cost of carrying it out."* 

 " 4th year of Edward VI. — Banketing-houses 2, the one in 

 Hyede Parke conteynenge in length 57 feet and in bredth 

 21 feet of assize with a halpace staler (step for dais) conteining 



* Parkinson. Paradisus. ~ Hill, Gardener's Labyrinth. 



' MSS. belonging to M. More-Moiyneux, Loseley, Surrey. * Ibid. 



