bee no leſſe than the foure ſquare proportion, or any other better forme, if any be. To forme it therfore with walks, croſſe the middle both waies, and round about it alſo with hedges, with ſquares, knots and trayles, or any other worke within the foure ſquare parts, is according as euery mans conceit alloweth of it, and they will be at the charge: For there may be therein walkes eyther open or cloſe, eyther publike or priuate, a maze or wilderneſſe, a rocke or mount, with a fountaine in the midſt thereof to conuey water to euery part of the Garden, eyther in pipes vnder the ground, or brought by hand, and emptied into large Ciſternes or great Turkie Iarres, placed in conuenient places, to ſerue as an eaſe to water the neareſt parts thereunto. Arbours alſo being both gracefull and neceſſary, may be appointed in ſuch conuenient places, as the corners, or elſe where, aſ may be moſt fit, to ſerue both for ſhadow and reſt after walking. And becauſe many are deſirous to ſee the formes of trayles, knots, and other compartiments, and becauſe the open knots are more proper for theſe Out-landiſh flowers; I haue here cauſed ſome to be drawne, to ſatisfie their deſires, not intending to cumber this worke with ouer manie, in that it would be almoſt endleſſe, to expreſſe ſo many as might bee conceiued and ſet downe, for that euery man may inuent others farre differing from theſe, or any other can be ſet forth. Let euery man therefore, if hee like of theſe, take what may pleaſe his mind, or out of theſe or his own conceit, frame any other to his fancy, or cauſe others to be done as he liketh beſt, obſeruing this decorum, that according to his ground he do caſt out his knots, with conuenient roome for allies and walkes; for the fairer and larger your allies and walkes be, the more grace your Garden ſhall haue, the leſſe harme the herbes and flowers ſhall receiue, by paſſing by them that grow next vnto the allies ſides, and the better ſhall your Weeders cleanſe both the beds and the allies.
Chap. I I I.
The many ſorts of herbes and other things, wherewith the beds and parts of knots are bordered
to ſet out the forme of them, with their commodities and diſcommodities.
IT is neceſſary alſo, that I ſhew you the ſeuerall materials, wherewith theſe knots and trayles are ſet forth and bordered; which are of two ſorts: The one are liuing herbes, and the other are dead materials; as leade, boords, bones, tyles, &c. Of herbes, there are many ſorts wherewith the knots and beds in a Garden are vſed to bee ſet, to ſhew forth the forme of them, and to preſerue them the longer in their forme, as alſo to be as greene, and ſweete herbes, while they grow, to be cut to perfume the houſe, keeping them in ſuch order and proportion, as may be moſt conuenient for their ſeuerall natures, and euery mans pleaſure and fancy: Of all which, I intend to giue you the knowledge here in this place; and firſt, to begin with that which hath beene moſt anciently receiued, which is Thrift. This is an euerliuing greene herbe, which many take to border their beds, and ſet their knots and trayles, and therein much delight, becauſe it will grow thicke and buſhie, and may be kept, being cut with a paire of Garden ſheeres, in ſome good handſome manner and proportion for a time, and beſides, in the Summer time ſend forth many ſhort ſtalkes of pleaſant flowers, to decke vp an houſe among other ſweete herbes: Yet theſe inconueniences doe accompany it; it will not onely in a ſmall time ouergrow the knot or trayle in many places, by growing ſo thicke and buſhie, that it will put out the forme of a knot in many places: but alſo much thereof will dye with the froſts and ſnowes in Winter, and with the drought in Summer, whereby many voide places will be ſeene in the knot, which doth much deforme it, and muſt therefore bee yearely refreſhed: the thickneſſe alſo and buſhing thereof doth hide and ſhelter ſnayles and other ſmall noyſome wormes ſo plentifully, that Gilloflowers, and other fine herbes and flowers being planted therein, are much ſpoyled by them, and cannot be helped without much induſtry, and very great and daily attendance to deſtroy them. Germander is another herbe, in former times alſo much vſed, and yet alſo in many places; and becauſe it will grow thicke, and may be kept alſo in ſome forme and proportion with cutting, and that the cuttings are much vſed as a ſtrawing herbe for houſes, being pretty and ſweete, is alſo much affected by diuers: but this alſo will often dye and grow out of forme, and beſides that, the ſtalkes will grow too great, hard and ſtubby, the rootes doe ſo farre ſhoote vnder ground, that vpon a little continuance thereof, will
