The garden of pleasure containing several draughts of gardens, both in embroyder'd-ground-works, knot-works of grass, as likewise in wildernesses, and others : with their cuts in copper / by Andrew Mollet.

The First Design.

THe first Design is a General Draught, to be done on the back-side of some great Palace, or House of Pleasure, which is of about 310 Toi∣ses in length, and 220 in breadth, which is somewhat near the true Propor∣tion requisite to all Gardens, that is about a third part longer then wide; that so all the Partitions which are to be made in the said General Draught, may have a Parallelogramick Form, as may be seen in our hindmost Draught, except the Knots, which we have made square by reason of their crossing Alleys, which we have drawn Diagonally, to vary the ordinary custom. The said Knots are of 60 Toises square, in the Main-work, that is to say without the outward Walkes; all the Alleys from 4 to 5 Toises in breadth: the which Knots we have set down in large, that they might be the easier comprehended and performed in the Working: They fol∣low the two General Draughts, Fol. 3 , and 4 . The first is, the Knot in Embroidery: The second is, the Compartiment of Turff, in which the four half ovals are on the out-side, which we have done for variety, and as that which may serve to be put alone in some other place. The half∣ovals may be also plac't inwardly, to answer to the symmetrie or proporti∣ons of the Knot in Embroidery; and that by taking away the four Foun∣tains out of the four Triangles, and placing there Statues upon their Piede∣stals, according as they are marked in the said Draught.

After these Knots follow the Wildernesses, Plants of Trees, Ponds, and Grass-plots; in the midst of which may be erected Arbors, and Summer Banquetting-Houses, for several divertisements: As concerning the Trees to be planted; Lime-Trees should be used and not Elmes, by reason that the Lime-trees spread not their roots so wide in the Earth, as Elms do; which I hold fit to be banished absolutely from Gardens, for the in∣conveniency that their great Roots bring to Gardens, to the damage of whatsoever is therein planted of curious, except it be in the outward Al∣leys, of which we have made heretofore mention.

But now let us come back to the deduction of all the parts of our first ge∣neral Draught, to which, if it be possible, water should be brought through channels of 10 Toises breadth, whose Alleys on each side should be two or three foot lower then the others, and the Water almost even with the brim of the said Alleys, with steps at every meeting of the Capital or chief Al∣leys;

which there jutt out, and which ought to be planted with a double rank, with a Palissado of Beech in the last rank, not higher then tvvo or three foot; though for variety it may be suffer'd to grow higher in some convenient places, provided, that still the proportions be observed. In fine, the half Circle ought to be framed at the end, with its sprout of Water; all according to the measure of our said General Draught.

The Second Design.

THis second Design is a general Draught, but lesser then the former, con∣taining about 200 Toises in length, and 150 in breadth; the House be∣ing environ'd with Water, as also the whole Plat-form of the said place, if it be possible, with a half-moon and large Alley in the front; and on the back part may be made the Knot in Embrodery, Fol. 5. to whose sides may al∣so be added the Wildernesses described in our first General Draught. Moreover, on the two wings of the House may be made the Knot in Em∣brodery, and Compartiments of Turf, Fol. 16. and 24. otherwise in lieu of these said Knots there may be put in one of those Wings (which will be judg'd the fittest for that purpose) Orange-trees, Myrtles, Jasse∣mins, and other choice Trees: but on the other, the rarest of Extoic Plants, and ever green, dwarf-Trees, planted in order of Compartiment answera∣ble to the designs of the Wildernesses, to observe the just proportion which is required in all such like Works, adding thereunto Fountains and Statues in their proper places. Then, at the end of the Grand Parterre, or Knott, there are to be 3 Alleys issuing forth from the same Center, and these should be planted with rows of Beech, which serve for high Palissado's; and within the space of six Foot are marked the places where to plant Cy∣prus-Trees, which must be kept alwayes cropt neatly in a Pyramidal form, and not suffer'd to grow above six or seven foot at the most in height. In stead of Beach, the said Palissado's may be planted of Alaternus's, Holly, or Cherry-Laurels, which would produce yet a far more pleasing effect; and in the Partitions which those Alleys make, may be planted dwarf-fruit-Trees, or a Kitchin-Garden, whose deformity may be hid by high Palissado's; for we do not allow that the Garden of Pleasure should admit of common Herbs; nor yet of Fruit-Trees, except they be planted as Wall-fruit, but rather that those Gardens or Orchards be by themselves. In fine, the circumference of our Draught is a large Alley double with its basket-handle, or half-oval, at the end whereof there is another great Alley or Walk Transvers, to answer to that before the House, all environ'd with Water, which is to be communicated from one part to the other, as it may be seen in the Draught.

It remains now to treat of the Parterres, Compartiments of Grass, Wildernesses and Labyrinths each of them in particular. And first of all

let us come to the Ground-works in Embroidery, for the constructions of which we find nothing more convenient, as we have already said, then the Box, of which there are three sorts, viz. great Box or Wood-Box, which groweth high enough if it be let alone, but that may be as well kept very low; for being cropt and clipt every year twice according to Art, it will not grow above three or four inches in ten years space; and this is it which is required in our Embroidery Ground-works. The second sort of Box is called dwarf-Box, which never grows higher then one foot and a half, but it is much tenderer then the other, not capable to endure too neer a crop. It is convenient to set the Knots, whose clipping is differing from the Em∣broidery, viz. only square. The last kind of Box is between both the for∣mer, both in respect of its leaf and growth, but doth not afford so pleasing a Green; therefore we shall lay it aside. I know that in this Country most part have an aversion to all kind of Box, by reason of its strong scent, and chiefly the biggest; but that happens onely when it is suffer'd to grow high; for being kept short and low, it scarce smells at all, especially the dwarf-Box. Therefore those curious persons may make use of either, but severally, and not together.

These Premises considered, we shall continue to treat of our Designs each in particular; having first advertised the Reader, that the third and fourth Designs are specified in the first general Draught, and the fifth in the second general Draught.

The Sixth Design.

THe sixth is a Ground-work in Embrodery, containing 42 Toises square. The Lists of the outward Walks of the squares of six foot in breadth, are for low flowers: and, at each external Angle of the said Squares is described a quarter of a Circle, in whose Center, a Statue or Figure is to be set up, or in stead thereof there may be planted a Cyprus-Tree, which may be left to grow at discretion. The Fountain contains se∣ven Toises in Diameter. This sort of Ground-works we made at Stock∣holme, before the Palace of the late Queen Mother of Sweden.

The Seventh Design.

THe seventh is also a Ground-work in Embroidery of about 47 Toises square in the in-work: Its fountain hath eight Toises in Diameter; the cross-Alleys and the outward VValks are to be four Toises, and the Lists six foot; in the midst of which are marked down from space to space the places where to lay square stones, fit to bear Flower-plots, or small boxes of choice green Trees, some clipt and cropt like Globes, and the others in a Piramidal form. We have not set down in this present Design

the outward-walks, (to prevent confusion) no more then in many others, which however are to be alwayes set out, and proportion'd in all Ground∣works and other Designs; as may be noted in our general Draughts.

The Eighth Design.

THe eighth is a Ground-work in Embroidery of 40 Toises square in the in-work; whose eight-square Fountain is to be 7 Toises in Dia∣meter; the Lists 6 foot, with the quarters of Circles in the middle Angles, in whose Centers Statues may be set up, or Cyprus Trees planted, and in the midst of the Lists of the out-walks of the squares, may be plant∣ed small choice green Trees, kept as the former, yet with this distinction, that they must be carefully covered in Winter during ill weather, by rea∣son that they cannot be removed into the green-houses as the former: be∣tween those Trees may be set all sorts of low Flowers.

The Ninth Design.

IS a Ground-work in Embroidery of 36 Toises square in the in-work, with a half-moon at the end, partly in Embroidery, partly in Knots of Grass; the Lists are to be of 6 Foot in breadth, with a space of Grass in the middle. The work of this Design is to be in large, to be seen from far off, in case the House should be remote from the Garden, but if it should be nearer the House, it would not be amiss to add more work to it.

The Tenth Design.

IS another Ground-work in Embroidery of 28 Toises square in the in-32work; the Fountain of 4½ in Diameter; its Lists between 4 or 5 foot in breadth, and a slip of grass in the great stroke of the Embroidery, as al∣so the Statues and Cyprus-Trees situated in their due places, as is described in the Design.

The Eleventh Design.

IS a Ground-work in Embroidery, containing 30 Toises square taking in the outward walks; the Lists are of 4 foot in breadth, adorned as in the seventh Design, and at the end is described a half-oval of grass, planted round with Cyprus-Trees in a convenient distance one from the other, and neatly clipped into a Pyramidal Form. It is to be noted, that to keep Cyprus-Trees very well, they should not be tyed, (as many use to do,)

by reason that being without Air within-side, they wither, and become full of dead wood: Moreover, the binding of them causes them to grow too high, and without support; in so much, that there would be a necessity to support them by a Pole fixt through the middle of the branches, which cau∣ses more and more their inward dryness and rottenness; therefore they ought alwayes to be left at their natural liberty, onely cut and clipt both round about and at the top from time to time; and that if it be necessary, twice a year, viz. towards the Month of May and September. Thus they will strengthen themselves towards the root, and be made fit to resist all the injuries of bad weather.

The Twelfth Design.

IS a Ground-work in Embroidery, of an Oblong Square, containing a∣bout 40 Toises in breadth in the in-work, and 43 in length from one Angle to the other: at the end of which is to be made a large proportion of a Circle, in whose center is also described a Fountain of 10 Toises in Diameter, and in the middle of the Ground-work an Eight-Square of grass somewhat raised, in the Center whereof is to be erected a Statue, or curious Sun-dyal, with a fillet of Grass in the middle of the Lists, as is described in our said Design.

The Thirteenth Design.

IS a Ground-work also in Embroidery, of an Oblong Square, but diffe∣rent from the former, by reason that it must be seen on the long side; it contains 50 Toises in Front, and 40 Toises of depth; its Fountain has 7½ Toises of Diameter; the Lists 6 Foot, planted with all sorts of low-Flowers, and the great or Master-stroke of the Embroidery with a slip of grass in the middle.

The Fourteenth Design.

IS another Ground-work in Embrodery, of an Oblong-square, different from the former, by reason that it may seen on both sides; it contains 45 Toises in length, and 33 in breadth in the in-work: in the middle of which may be made an Eight-square of grass, on which is to be set a Statue or Sun∣dyal; the lists and the Master-strokes of the Embrodery are 6 Foot in breadth.

The Fifteenth Design.

IS a Ground-work in Embroidery, of an Oblong-square, to be seen only upon its Basis; it differs from the others by reason it has no cross Alleys, and is of 30 Toises in breadth, and 40 in length, with an half-oval at the end; the lists are of 6 Foot in breadth, as also the chief stroke of Embroi∣dery.

The Sixteenth Design.

IS finally another Ground-work in Embroidery, of an Oblong Square, (without cross-Alleys) containing 40 Toises in length, and 33 in breadth, with the outward Alleys; in the middle of which may be plac't a Foun∣tain, and in the 4 outward Angles, Statues upon their Piedestals, or else Cy∣prus-Trees Planted; the List is of six foot in breadth, adorned with a slip of Grass in the middle: this Design may be contrived for its view which way one pleases, yet it will be more delightful to be seen breadth-wayes.

The Seventeenth Design.

IS a certain kind of Frize, which may be continued as long as one will; it is of 12 Toises in breadth, partly Embroidery, and partly Knots of Grass and Flowers.

The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Designs.

ARe two small Ground-works in Embroidery, with their Lists turffed, the biggest is of 6 Toises in breadth, and about 9½ of length; it is best to be seen length-wayes, the smallest contains about 10 Toises in front, and 4½ in depth, and is best to be view'd in the same manner.

This is in short and in general concerning our Designs and Ground∣works in Embroidery of Box; It remains to give some Direction to the less skilful in them, how to perform them well on the ground, which is done by the means of several lines strait drawn, both upon our said Designs, and on Earth, and proportionally inter-cutting each other thereby to frame Squares of six Foot every way in Designs of a moderate bigness, but of 9 Foot in the bigest, to prevent confusion; and then observing the places where each Leaf cuts or crosses the said Lines, of which an exact measure must be taken with a Compass, which being placed upon the Scale, will shew us the precise measure, which is to be transferr'd upon the Ground by the means of our common Measure of six foot, and so proportion'd to the Design. Thus one may easily attain to the contrivance of all sorts of

Designs, as it is described upon our two Designs in Embroidery of Grass, Fol. 26 and 27 , where the lines are traced upon one of the Squares.