EVELYN'S " SYLVA " 



with the sterner conditions of living all such arrange 

 ments as arbours of cut Yew trees, or elaborate Box- 

 edged paths had completely vanished. Certainly they 

 did have arbours for shade, but of a simple kind and quite 

 unlike the elaborate garden houses the Romans built. 



There were vineyards and wine made from them as 

 early as the Eighth Century, and in the reign of Edward 

 the Third wine was made at Windsor Castle by Stephen 

 of Bourdeaux. The Cherry trees brought here by the 

 Romans had quite died out and were not recovered 

 until Harris, Henry the Eighth's Irish fruiterer, grew 

 them again at Sittingbourne. In the Twelfth Century 

 flower gardening again came in, and within the castle 

 walls pleasant gardens were laid out with little avenues 

 of fruit trees, and neat beds of flowers. Of the fruit 

 trees there was the Costard Apple, the only Apple of that 

 time, from which great quantities of cider — that 

 " good-natured and potable liquor " — was made. There 

 was the great Wardon Pear, from which the celebrated 

 Wardon pies were made ; they were Whites Pears from 

 a stock originally cultivated by those great horti- 

 culturists the Cistercian monks of Wardon in Bedford- 

 shire. Then there was also the Quince, called a Coyne, 

 the Medlar, and I believe the Mulberry, or More tree. 

 In the borders, Strawberries, Raspberries, Barberries 

 and Currants were grown, that is in a well-stocked 

 garden such as the Earl of Lincoln had in Holborn in 

 1290. Then there was a plot set aside as a Physic 

 garden where herbs grew and salads of Rocket, Lettuce, 

 Mustard, Watercress, and Hops. In one place, probably 

 overlooking the pond or fountain which was the centre 

 of such gardens, was an arbour, and walks and smaller 

 gardens were screened off by wattle hedges. In that 

 part of the garden devoted to flowers were Roses, Lilies, 

 Sunflowers, Violets, Poppies, Narcissi, Pervinkes or 



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