INTRODUCTION. 



11 



Hentyner assures us of its perfect beauty, describing one of its 

 marble basins as being set round with " lilac trees, which trees 

 bear no fruit, but only a pleasant smell." 



The pleasure-gardens at Theobalds, the seat of Lord Burleigh, 

 were unique, according to the report of Lyson, In it were nine 

 knots exquisitely made, one of which was set forth in likeness of 

 the king's arms. " One might walk two myle in the walks before 

 he came to an end." 



Queen Elizabeth was extremely fond of flowers, and her taste 

 ever influenced that of her court. Gilliflowers, carnations, tulips, 

 Provence and musk roses, were brought to England in her reign. 



William III. loved a pleasaunce or pleasure-garden ; but he 

 introduced the Dutch fashion of laying them out, which is still 

 horrible in our eyes. His Queen superintended in person all her 

 arrangements in the flower-garden, — an amusement particularly 

 delightful to her. In those days, " knottes and mazes " were no 

 longer the pride of a parterre, with a due allowance of " pleasant 

 and fair fishponds." 



Queen Anne remodeled the gardens at Kensington, and did 

 away with the Dutch inventions. Hampton Court was also laid 

 out in a more perfect state in her reign, under the direction of 

 Wise. 



• Since that period, flower- gardening has progressed rapidly ; 

 and the amusement of floriculture has become the dominant pas- 

 sion of the ladies of Great Britain. It is a passion most blessed 

 in its effects, considered as an amusement or a benefit. Nothing 

 humanizes and adorns the female mind more surely than a taste 

 for ornamental gardening. It compels the reason to act, and the 



judgment to observe; it is favorable to meditation of the most 

 serious kind ; it exercises the fancy in harmless and elegant occu- 

 pation, and braces the system by its healthful tendency. A 

 flower-garden, to the young and single of my sex, acts upon the 



