THE ELIZABETHAN FLOWER GARDEN 
IOI 
us that I know/' 1 The alley remaining at Hampton Court 
is of wych-elm. At Theobalds these trees were chiefly used in 
those alleys where “ one might walk twoe myle in the walkes 
before he came to their ends." At Drayton, in Northampton¬ 
shire, there are two fine specimens of pleached alleys, and the 
gnarled stems of the wych-elms forming them bear testimony 
to their age. The “ covert walks " were sometimes made with a 
trellis of wood-work, planted with creepers, such as were in 
vogue in earlier times, “ made like galleries," " covered with y e 
vine spreading all over, or some other trees which more pleased 
them." 2 
Mounts still formed an important accessory to the garden. 
Bacon, who, it must be remembered, was “ speaking of those 
(gardens) which are indeed princelike," thus describes the 
mount: “ I wish," he says, “ in the middle, a fair mount, with 
three ascents, and alleys enough for four to walk abreast; 
which I would have to be perfect circles, without any bulwarks 
or embossments : and the whole mount to be 30 feet high, 
surmounted by a fine banquetting-house with some chimneys 
neatly cast." Such banqueting-houses were often made merely 
for some special occasion, and decorated with ivy and ever¬ 
greens, to give them the appearance of permanency. This was 
an age that delighted in pageants, and what more fitting back¬ 
ground for their display than the beautiful gardens that this 
same love of display was creating and developing. When any 
pageant or “ re veils " took place, additions were made to the 
arbours or banqueting-houses in the garden, to accommodate 
the guests. In June, 1554, “ certaine banqueting-houses of 
Bowes ( = boughs) and other devices of pleasure," were to be 
made at Oatlands, and Sir Thomas Cawarden, as “ Master of 
the Tents and Toyles," received a royal command to superin¬ 
tend their erection as he had “ good experience heretofore in lyk 
things." 3 The following extracts show some of his past experi¬ 
ences, both what he had to do, and the cost of carrying it out. 4 
“ 4th year of Edward VI.—Banketing-houses 2, the one in 
Hyede Parke conteynenge in length 57 feet and in bredth 
21 feet of assize with a halpace staier (step for dais) conteining 
1 Parkinson, Paradisus. 2 Hill, Gardener's Labyrinth. 
3 MSS. belonging to M. More-Molyneux, Loseley, Surrey. i Ibid. 
