The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralBacon, Francis
Philosophy
The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral
Bacon, Francis
English essays -- Early modern, 1500-1700
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; orange-trees; 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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