Abstract

This chapter considers how plants and flowers were displayed in gardens and, briefly, within the house. Sources on flowers include contemporary garden books, plant lists, and biographies of plant collectors and gardeners. Yet, there are almost no detailed descriptions of how flowers were arranged in these gardens, whose forms evolved from the largely medieval appearance of early Tudor gardens to the far more classical configuration of the Elizabethan and later periods. In almost all these gardens the framework of the design—the evergreen hedges and hard landscaping—remained dominant throughout the year with flowers filling the gaps. Within the house, cut flowers from the garden beautified and perfumed the interior and served to complement the plethora of decorative floral motifs.

Keywords: evergreen; landscape; design; hedges; Lord Burghley; plantsmen

Among the manifold creatures of God … that have all in all ages diversly entertained many excellent wits, and drawn them to the contemplation of the divine wisdome, none have provoked mens studies more or satisfied their desires so much as plants have done … for if delight may provoke mens labour, what greater delight is there than to behold the earth apparelled with plants, as with a robe of imbroidered worke, set with orient pearles, and garnished with great diversitie of rare and costly jewels.