6 
The ordering of the (far den ofT 3 lea jure. 
fpreadinto many places within the knot, which it continually they be not plucked yp, 
they will fpoile the whole knot it felfe ; and therefore once in three or foure y cares at t he 
moft, it mull be taken vp and new fet, or elfe it will grow too roy nidi and cumberfome, 
HylTope hath alfo been vfed to be fet about a knot,and being fweet, will feme for ft row- 
ings, as Germander : Butthis, although the rootesdoe not runne or creep like it, y a the 
ftalkes doe quickly grow great aboue ground, and dye often after the firft y cares letting, 
whereby the grace of the knot will be much loft. Marierome, Sauorie, and Thyme, in 
the like manner being fweete herbes, are vfed to bordervp beds and knots, and will be 
kept fora little while, witheutting, into fome conformity • but all and euery of them 
feme moft commonly but for oneyearesvfe, and will foone decay and perifh: and 
therefore none of thefe , no more than any of theformer, doe I commend for a good 
bordering herbe forthis purpofe. Lauander Cotton alfo being finely flipped and fet, is 
of many, and thofeofthe higheft refpcdf of late daies, accepted, both for the beauty and 
forme of the herbe, being of a whitifh grecne mealy colour, for his fent fmelling fome- 
what ftrong, and being euerliuing and abidinggreene all the Winter, will, by cutting, be 
kept in as euen proportion as any other herbe may be. This will likewife foone grow 
great and flubbed, notwithftanding the cutting, and befides will no w ^nd then perifh in 
fome places, efpecially if you doe not ftrike or put offthe fnow,before the Sunne lying 
vpon it diffolue it : The rarity & nouelty of this herbe, being for the moft part but in the 
Gardens ofgreatperfons, doth caufe it to be ofthe greater regard,itmuft therfore be re- 
newed wholly euery fecond or third yeare at the moft, becaufeof the great growing 
therof.SIips of luniper or Yewarealto receiued of fome & planted, becaufe they areal- 
wayes green, and that the Iuniper efpecially hath not that ill fent that Boxe hath, which 
I will prefently commend vnto you, yet both Iuniper and Y ew will foon grow too great 
and flubbed, andforceyoutotakevpyourknorfooner, than if it were planted with 
Boxe. Which laftly, I chiefly and aboue all other herbes commend vn o you, and being 
a final}, lowe, or dwarfe kinde, is called French or Dutch Boxe , and feructh very well 
tofet out any knot, or border out any beds: for be fides that it is euer grecne, itbeing 
rcafonable thicke fet, will eafily be cut and formed into any faftuon one will, according 
to the nattne thereof, which is to grow very flowly, and will notin a long rime rife to be 
of any height, but fhcotingfortbmany fmallbranchesfromtheroote, willgrowvery 
thicke, and yet not require fo great tending, nor fo much perifh as any oftheformer,and 
isonely receiuedinto the Gardensof thofe that arecurious. This (as I beforefaid) I 
commend and hold to bee the bed and fureft herbe to abide faire and grecne in all the 
bitter ftormes of the fharpeft Winter, and all the great heates and droughts of Summer, 
and doth recompencethewantofagood fweet fent with his frefh verdure, cuen pro- 
portion, and long Iafting continuance. Yet thefe inconueniences it hath, that befides 
the vnpleafing fent which many miflike, and yet is but fmall, the rootes of this Boxe do 
fo much fpread themfelues into theground of the knot, anddoe draw from thence fo 
much nourifhment.that it robbeth all the herbesthat grow neare it of their fap and fub- 
ftance, thereby making all the earth about it barren, or at leaft leffe fertile. Wherefore 
to fhewyouthe remedy of this inconuenienceoffpreading, without eithertaking vpthe 
Boxe of the border , or the herbes and flowers in the knot, islthinkeafecretknownc 
butvntoafew, which is this: You fliall take a broad pointed Iron like vntoaSIifeor 
Cheflill, which thruftdownc right into the ground a good depth all along the infide of 
the border of Boxe fomewhat clofe thereunto, you may thereby cut away the fpreading 
rootes thereof, which draw fo much moifture from the other herbes on the infide, and 
by this meanes both preferne your herbes and flowers in the knot , and your Boxe alfo, 
for tjiacthe Boxe will be nouriftredfufficiently from the rt ft of the rootes it fhooteth on 
all theother fides. And thus much for the liuing herbes , that ferue to let or border vp 
any knot. Now for the dead materials, they are alfo, as I faid before diuers : as firft, 
Leade, which fome that arecurious doe bordertheir knots withall, caufingit to be cut 
ofthe breadth offoure fingers, bowing thelower edge a little outward , that it may lye 
vnderthe vpper cruft of the ground, and that it may (land the fafter,and making the vp- 
per edge either plain, or cut out like vnto the battlements of a Church : this fafhion hath 
delighted fome, whohaueaccounteditftately(attheleaftcoftly) and fit for their de- 
gree, and the rather, becaufe it will be bowed and bended into any round fquare, angu- 
lar, or other proportion as one lifleth, and is not much to be mifliked, in that the Leade 
doth 
