OF GARDENS 115 



wild-thyme, and watermmts. Therefore you are to set 

 whole alleys of them, to have the pleasure when you walk 

 or tread. 



For gardens (speaking of those which are indeed prince- 

 like, as we have done of buildings), the contents ought not 

 well to be under thirty acres of ground; and to be divided 

 into three parts; a green in the entrance; a heath or desert 

 in the going forth; and the main garden in the midst; 

 besides alleys on both sides. And I like well that four 

 acres of ground be assigned to the green ; six to the heath ; 

 four and four to either side; and twelve to the main 

 garden. The green hath two pleasures : the one, because 

 nothing is more pleasant to the eye than green grass kept 

 finely shorn ; the other, because it will give you a fair 

 alley in the midst, by which you may go in front upon a 

 stately hedge, which is to enclose the garden. But because 

 the alley will be long, and, in great heat of the year or day, 

 you ought not to buy the shade in the garden by going in 

 the sun thorough the green, therefore you are, of either 

 side the green, to plant a covert alley, upon carpenter's 

 work, about twelve foot in height, by which you may go 

 in shade into the garden. As for the making of knots or 

 figures with divers coloured earths, that they may lie under 

 the windows of the house on that side which the garden 

 stands, they be but toys : you may see as good sights 

 many times in tarts. The garden is best to be square, 

 encompassed on all the four sides with a stately arched 

 hedge. The arches to be upon pillars of carpenter's work, 

 of some ten foot high, and six foot broad ; and the spaces 

 between of the same dimension with the breadth of the 

 arch. Over the arches let there be an entire hedge of 

 some four foot high, framed also upon carpenter's work ; 

 and upon the upper hedge, over every arch, a little turret, 

 with a belly, enough to receive a cage of birds : and over 

 every space between the arches some other little figure, 

 with broad plates of round coloured glass gilt, for the sun 

 to play upon. But this hedge I intend to be raised upon 

 a bank, not steep, but gently slope, of some six foot, set 

 all with flowers. Also I understand, that this square of 



