THE GARDEN-CRAFT OF SHAKESPEARE 367 
again—“The Tulipas may be so matched, one colour answer¬ 
ing and setting off another, that the place where they stand 
may resemble a piece of curious needlework or piece of paint¬ 
ing.” But these plants were all perennial, and remained where 
they were once planted, and with this one exception named by 
Parkinson, the planting of knot-work was as different as pos¬ 
sible from the modern planting of carpet-beds. The beds 
were planted inside their thick margins with a great variety of 
plants, and apparently set as thick as possible, like Harrison’s 
garden quoted above, with its 300 separate plants in as many 
square feet. These were nearly all hardy perennials, 1 with the 
addition of a few hardy annuals, and the great object seems to 
have been to have had something of interest or beauty in these 
gardens at all times of the year. The principle of the old 
gardeners was that “ Nature abhors a vacuum,” and, so far as 
their gardens went, they did their best to prevent a vacuum 
occurring at any time. In this way I think they surpassed us 
in their practical gardening, for, even if they did not always suc¬ 
ceed, it was surely something for them to aim (in Bacon’s 
happy words) “ to have ver perpetumn as the place affords.” 
Where the space would allow of it, the garden was further 
decorated with statues, fountains, “fair mounts,” labyrinths, 
mazes, 2 arbours and alcoves, rocks, “great Turkey jars,” and 
“ in some corner (or more) a true Dial or Clock, and some 
Antick works ” (Lawson). These things were fitting ornaments 
in such formal gardens, but the best judges saw that they were 
not necessaries, and that the garden was complete without 
them. “ They be pretty things to look on, but nothing for 
health or sweetness.” “ Such things are for state and magnifi¬ 
cence, but nothing to the true pleasure of a garden.” 
1 Including shrubs— 
“ ’Tis another’s lot 
To light upon some gard’ner’s curious knot, 
Where she upon her breast (love’s sweet repose) 
Doth bring the Queen_of flowers, the English Rose.” 
Browne’s Brit. Past., i. 2. 
/ 
2 For a good account of mazes and labyrinths see “ Archseological 
Journal,” vol. xiv. 216. 
