THE GARDEN-CRAFT OF SHAKESPEARE 365 
was doomed as soon as landscape gardeners aimed at the 
natural, for even when it was still at its height Addison described 
it thus : “ Our British gardeners, instead of humouring Nature, 
love to deviate from it as much as possible. Our trees rise in 
cones, globes, and pyramids; we see the mark of the scissors 
upon every plant and bush.” 
But this is a digression : I must return to the Elizabethan 
garden, which I have hitherto only described as a great square, 
surrounded by wide, covered, shady walks, and with other 
similar walks dividing the central square into four or more 
compartments. But all this w r as introductory to the great 
feature of the Elizabethan garden, the formation of the 
“ curious-knotted garden.” Each of the large compartments 
was divided into a complication of “knots,” by w T hich v r as 
meant beds arranged in quaint patterns, formed by rule and 
compass with mathematical precision, and so numerous that it 
was a necessary part of the system that the whole square 
should be fully occupied by them. Lawm there w r as none ; the 
whole area w r as nothing but the beds and the paths that divided 
them. There was Grass in other parts of the pleasure-grounds, 
and apparently well kept, for Bacon has given his opinion that 
“nothing is more pleasant to the eye than green Grass kept 
finely shorn,” but it was apparently to be found only in the 
orchard, the bowfiing-green, or the “ wilderness ” ; in the flower- 
garden proper it had no place. The “ knots ” were generally 
raised above the surface of the paths, the earth being kept in 
its place by borders of lead, or tiles, or wood, or even bones ; 
but sometimes the beds and paths were on the same level, and 
then there were the same edgings that we now use, as Thrift, 
Box, Ivy, flints, &c. The paths were made of gravel, sand, 
spar, &c., and sometimes with coloured earths : but against 
this Bacon made a vigorous protest: “As to the making of 
knots or figures with divers coloured earths, that they may lie 
under the windows of the house on that side on which the 
garden stands they be but toys; you may see as good sights 
many times in tarts.” 
The old gardening books are full of designs for these knots; 
