Feo R 4H = Book I 
A choice Colleation of living Beauties, rare Plants, Flowers and 
Fruits, are indeed the wealth, glory and delight ofa Garden, and 
heimelt abfolure indications of the Owners ingenuity , whofe skill 
reis chiefly required in thei: Choice, Culture, and Pofition, 
ye known many Perfons of Fortune pretend much affection to 
3, but very unwilling to pare with any thing to purchafe 
sm; yet if obtained by begging, or perhaps by ftealing, content- 
ed to give t eacnegagincas : An Unworthinefs more whpardon- 
able in the Rich, than punifhable in fuch Poor as fteal through want, 
And perhaps to fomehemay feemnowifer, that parts with forty or 
fifty pounds for an Horfe orMawk, which muft be daily fed and at- 
fs ives ny fhillings fora noble Plant or 
beautiful Flower, that needs little.of either, But our faces are not 
more variable than our affections, and, I fear, that to Flowers js 
too innocent for this Age (guilty of fo much wickednefs) to take de- 
light in, Yet fince our long Winter is fo well over, and our illuftri- 
ous late-obfcured Luminaries have now regained their former {plen- 
dour, Ifhall adventure to bring forth my Plants and Flowers into 
the open air: but before I unveil their beauties, or difcover their qua- 
~ Jities, it willbe neceffary to prepare their lodgings, places to plant 
them, ‘Thusmuch’by the way as we pafs tothe Garden, 
“‘Tfhall now proceed to inform all fuch as defire to’be Florifts, how 
they may ot Gardens themfelves, 
afsifted onely by ordinary Labourers in which undertaking it is. no 
my intention to-intrude upon the Gardeners trade, nor to amufe the 
Readets with Romantick Inventions ; but (asa Florift) to acquaint 
the unskilful with fuch Rules and apt Forms, as may’be fit for the 
planting and difpofing of the beft Flowers , and in fo plain and eafie 
amethod, that every'perfon‘of any capacity may be enabled thereby 
to be his own Gardener, obferving that which followeth, 
Tothe'Habitation of every Gentleman, or Perfon of confiderable 
Fortune and Ingenuity, ‘there ‘fhould ‘belong two feveral Gardens 
joytied.cogether, and onely divided witha Wall, fo as theremay be 
a paffage out’ef the one irito the other ; and ‘both of thefe for delight, 
recreation, andétiterrainment, As for the Kitchen-garden, a place 
more remote willbe requifite, ‘ferving onely for the publick ufe of 
the Family : but thefe two Gardens of delight would be feated on 
the South fide of the Houfe, in refpee& of profpee ‘from the ‘Win- 
dows, andthe benefit of Sun,and Shelter, which many tender Plaats, 
Fruits and Flowers doneceffarily require, ‘Some toabate'the rigour 
of the North and Eaft'winds, plant Pear-trees, Elms, or Sicamores, 
indefault of Buildings, at convenient diftance without ‘the walls ; 
which may be confidered upon fight of the place, for Situations are 
fovarious, that no pofitive Rules ‘can pofsibly ferveto fit all: be- 
fides, every one abounds with'his own reafon, and may adde or alter 
as the place and his purpofe fhall require, 4 7 
The 
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