What makes me smile is how many of the plants he references that I don't know. OK, I didn't have Francis Bacon's education, nor do I have his support staff, but it is a wake up call about how much I've forgotten / never known as a gardener.

So join me in rereading this four hundred year old report. And note that they pruned roses for bloom time, even then.

http://www.bartleby.com/3/1/46.html

Given that actual gardens at the time were highly artificial and geometrical, it's very interesting that part of Bacon's imaginary project is to be a wild-looking garden, "heath or desert." Later in the 17th century, Milton imagined Paradise to be lush and wild, and in the 18th, Alexander Pope in his own garden and in his poetry promoted the style of irregular, natural-looking garden design that we still take to be normal. So that whole thing began in the English literary imagination.

Here's something I never heard of, using soils of different color as a design element, although Bacon thinks it is too artificial--just as most of us think colored mulch is tacky:

"As for the making of knots or figures, with divers colored earths, that they may lie under the windows of the house on that side which the garden stands, they be but toys; you may see as good sights many times in tarts."

For a statesman and philosopher, Bacon's knowledge of horticulture is impressive.

Thanks, Ann.

Ingrid

I'm inclined to think I would like Bacon's described garden, with its variety of plants and concern for seasonal interest, consideration of flowers, green foliage, and fragrance; and its being designed as a place to spend time in through much of the year, in mild or hot weather, windy, wet, or dry. Bacon thought about varying the height of his plantings, and planned for views. He didn't want the design to be too busy. He had attractive ideas about the use of water in the garden, though I'm not sure if I agree with him about ponds. And different parts of the garden had different degrees of formality. I didn't understand everything he wrote, though.

"Health and sweetness" just about says it all.

Melissa

I agree with him on ponds but not on lawns. I have avoided a pond because I'm afraid of attracting even more mosquitoes than we have already. If I could have his moving water it would be another thing. I think there are definetely "more pleasant things to the eye than green grass kept finely shorn" but his opinion certainly rules to this day.

I wonder about Bacon's sense of smell and how he can write that roses are fast of their smells? Not all have a wafting scent but the damasks are certainly not fast.

My take away from yesterday's internet jaunt? Gertrude Jekyll had a 15 acre garden with 14 full time gardeners!

On that note I decided the rest of my indoor chores were a bust for the day and drove 10 minutes to my closest garden center and bought 50 daffodil bulbs. Ran home, got the pickaxe out and planted them all near a tree I'm planning to start a rose up next spring. I'm not sure my history take away sunk in as I'm a little sore today...

If you check out that poem, don't assume the speaker reflects the poet's views. The mower has an occupational bias.