More on 17th c. Gardening

[bunnyjadwiga]

Quoting from The Tradescants: Their plants, gardens and museum, 1570-1662 by Mea Allan:

We may think that gardening in those days [the 17th century] was somewhat rough and ready, a rather haphazard occupation best done by green thumbs when the moon was waxing. There is little doubt that it was not. But the ideal was yet to be attained, at least in the opinion of the author of a tracted called Adam Armed written at the end of the [17th?] century. These were the departments in which his John Gardener must be skilled:

• Potagery, comprehending all sallads, &c. for the kitchen


• Florilege, under which Head are Flowers, Evergreens, &c.


• Orangery, under which are ranked Stores of Foreign Plants, &c.


• Sylva, containing Avenues, Lawns, &c, for Entrances into Noble Houses


• Botany comprising the Study and Knowledge of all the Plants


• From the third and fourth Heads do issue out another, which may be termed the Nursery Part, which undertakes the Propagating and Raising all Greens, Fruit-Trees and Trees for Avenues, fit for planting abroad.


• The Designing Part, undertaking the making Grounds, Parterres, &c.

THe author of the tract gives interesting figures for the number of gardeners then employed in England and Wales:
Garden Designers: 10
Gardeners to Noblemen: 150
Gardeners to Gentlemen: 400
These, he suggested, should take apprenticeships for seven years, the following to take apprentices for five years:
Nursery-men: 100
Florists: 150
Botanists: 50
Gardeners for Market: 200
The total was 1030.
(p. 151-152).