Of Gardens

Sir Francis Bacon

God Almighty first planted a garden.  And indeed it is the purest of human pleasures.  It is the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man;  without which, buildings and palaces are but gross handiworks;  and a man shall ever see, that when ages grow to civility and elegancy, men come to build stately sooner than to garden finely;  as if gardening were the greater perfection.  I do hold it, in the royal ordering of gardens, there ought to be gardens, for all the months in the year;  in which severally things of beauty may be then in season.  For December, and January, and the latter part of November, you must take such things as are green all winter:  holly;  ivy;  bays;  juniper;  cypress-trees;  yew;  pine-apple-trees;  fir-trees;  rosemary;  lavender;  periwinkle, the white, the purple, and the blue;  germander;  flags;  orangetrees;  lemon-trees;  and myrtles, if they be stoved;  and sweet marjoram, warm set.  There followeth, for the latter part of January and February, the mezereon-tree, which then blossoms;  crocus vernus, both the yellow and the grey;  primroses, anemones;  the early tulippa;  hyacinthus orientalis;  chamairis;  fritellaria.  For March, there come violets, specially the single blue, which are the earliest;  the yellow daffodil;  the daisy;  the almond-tree in blossom;  the peach-tree in blossom;  the cornelian-tree in blossom;  sweet-briar.  In April follow the double white violet;  the wallflower;  the stock-gilliflower;  the cowslip;  flowerdelices, and lilies of all natures;  rosemary-flowers;  the tulippa;  the double peony;  the pale daffodil;  the French honeysuckle;  the cherry-tree in blossom;  the damson and plum-trees in blossom;  the white thorn in leaf;  the lilac-tree.  In May and June come pinks of all sorts, specially the blushpink;  roses of all kinds, except the musk, which comes later;  honeysuckles;  strawberries;  bugloss;  columbine;  the French marigold, flos Africanus;  cherry-tree in fruit;  ribes;  figs in fruit;  rasps;  vineflowers;  lavender in flowers;  the sweet satyrian, with the white flower;  herba muscaria;  lilium convallium;  the apple-tree in blossom.  In July come gilliflowers of all varieties;  musk-roses;  the lime-tree in blossom;  early pears and plums in fruit;  jennetings, codlins.  In August come plums of all sorts in fruit;  pears;  apricocks;  berberries;  filberds;  musk-melons;  monks-hoods, of all colors.  In September come grapes;  apples;  poppies of all colors;  peaches;  melocotones;  nectarines;  cornelians;  wardens;  quinces.  In October and the beginning of November come services;  medlars;  bullaces;  roses cut or removed to come late;  hollyhocks;  and such like.  These particulars are for the climate of London;  but my meaning is perceived, that you may have ver perpetuum, as the place affords.

1