INTRODUCTION; 
11 
Hentyner assures us of its perfect beauty, describing one oi its 
marble basins as being set round with “ lilac trees, which trees 
bear no fruit,-but only a pleasant smell.” 
The pleasure-gardens at Theobalds, the seat of Lord Burleigh, 
were unique, acc )rding to the report of Lyson. In it were nine 
knots exquisitely made, one of which was set forth in likeness of 
the king’s arms. “ One might walk two myle in the walks before 
\e came to an end.” 
Queen Elizabeth was extremely fond of flowers, and her taste 
ever influenced that of her court. Gilliflowers, carnations, tulips, 
Provence and musk roses, were brought to England in her reign. 
’William III. loved a pleasaunce or pleasure-garden; but he 
introduced the Dutch fashion of laying them out, which is still 
horrible in our eyes. His Queen superintended in person all her 
arrangements in the flower-garden,—an amusement particularly 
delightful to her. In those days, “ knottes and mazes ” were no 
longer the pride of a parterre, with a due allowance of “ pleasant 
and fair fishponds.” 
Queen Anne remodeled the gardens at Kensington, and did 
away with the Dutch inventions. Hampton Court w^as also laid 
out in a more perfect state in her reign, under the direction of 
Wise. 
Since that period, flower-gardening has progressed rapidly; 
and the amusement of floriculture has become the dominant pas¬ 
sion of the ladies of Great Britain. It is a passion most blessed 
in its effects, considered as an amusement or a benefit. Nothing 
humanizes and adorns the female mind more surely than a taste 
for ornamental gardening. It compels the reason to act, and the 
judgment to observe; it is favorable to meditation of the most 
serious kind ; it exercises the fancy in harmless and elegant occu¬ 
pation, and braces the system by its healthful tendency. A 
flower-garden, to the young and single of my sex, acts upon the 
