GERARD'S HERBAL 117 



they require further satisfaction, let them at the time of the 

 yeare repaire to the garden of Mistress Tuggie (the wife of my 

 late deceased friend, Mr. Ralph Tuggie) in Westminster, which 

 in the excellencie and varietie of these delights exceedeth all 

 that I have scene, as also, he himself, whilst he lived exceeded 

 most, if not all, of his time, in his care, industry and skill, in 

 raising, increasing and preserving of these plants." 



Gerard's descriptions of the most loved English garden 

 flowers are perhaps too well known to quote, and therefore I 

 give only the following : " The Plant of Roses, though it be a 

 shrub full of prickes, yet it hath beene more fit and convenient 

 to have placed it with the most glorious flowers of the world 

 than to inserte the same here among base and thornie shrubs; 

 for the rose doth deserve the chiefest and most principall place 

 among all flowers whatsoever being not only esteemed in his 

 beautie, vertue and his fragrance and odoriferous smell, but also 

 because it is the honor and ornament of our English Scepter, 

 as by the coniunction appeereth in the uniting of those two 

 most royal houses of Lancaster and Yorke. Which pleasant 

 flowers deserve the chiefest place in crowns and garlands. The 

 double white sort doth growe wilde in many hedges of Lancashire 

 in great abundance, even as briers do with us in these southerly 

 parts, especially in a place of the countrey called Leyland, and 

 in the place called Roughfoorde not far from Latham. The 

 distilled water of roses is good for the strengthening of the 

 hart and refreshing of the spirits and likewise in all things that 

 require a gentle cooling. The same being put in iunketting 

 dishes, cakes, sawces and many other pleasant things, giveth a 

 fine and delectable taste. It bringeth sleepe which also the 

 fresh roses themselves promote through their sweete and 

 pleasant smell." 



Like most gardeners Gerard was an optimist. It is wonder- 

 ful enough to think of the rare, white thyme growing in the 

 heart of London, but think of the courage of trying to raise 



