The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

A hop and a skip through Elizabethan history and onwards.....

40 comments


Well here we are, my dear Goyers, on week 5 of my Garden History Course! I can hardly believe that we are just over half way through…….and we pick up on how the Elizabethan Period affected the gardens that we have today.

Elizabeth reign was a lengthy one, (1558-1603) which, by walking a very fine line, in her care, England prospered, and started to regain it’s wealth after Henry VIII’s extravagant excessive’s, as this lad really had enjoyed the party life, which left the Coffers ever so slightly bare!!
This was a time of travel,and a much wider range of plants were brought back to Britain from exotic locations due to foreign expeditions, and the Dutch, breeding plants and developing bulbs.

We still had the status and wealth thing going on, by the introduction of Mazes, increasingly complicated Knot gardens, and complex Topiary.
Summer houses became popular too!!
The gardens of the rich and wealthy were very much still influenced from the Italian and French Renaissance period, so still at their best, when viewed from above on raised terracing.

This was the time of Plant Hunters, and intrepid explorers, men sent out across tempestuous seas, bringing back treasures not only in monetary terms, but in horticultural too.

It was thanks to men such as Christopher Columbus,Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake, that so many new plants were being discovered, as the English Empire extended its territory ever outwards. Those were the days eh?
It is worth noting that during the Jacobean period (1603-1649), Evergreens became popular and widely used, and our dearly beloved, Greenhouse (and Orangeries-later called Conservatories) were used to over-winter tender plants.

The first ever earliest book on Design, that they know of, was written by a guy called, francis Bacon, who stated that gardens should have;Year round interest,Shiny leaved evergreens,Heath or wild garden area and Hedges for protection! Doesn’t this all sound so very familiar??? LOL!

One of the most interesting facts, as we move through this time period and beyond, was a little something called ‘Tulip Mania’, (bear with me on this one, ‘cos I thought it was fascinating……..)

In the early 17th Century, a guy called Carolus Clusius popped back home to Holland with a batch of Tulip bulbs from Constantinople, and these were suddenly so sought after, that a single, yes, I did say a single Tulip bulb could change hands for as much as the price of a modest house!
Crazy eh? But as of most things, the ‘bubble’ soon burst and thousands of people actually faced financial ruin-so it seems the 1929 crash was not the first, when it came to power and greed taking over from good old common sense, and we can even bring that forward to today, with the catastrophe of our recent Banking situation, that we are still digging our way out of! Guess there’s absolutely nothing new in history folks……….!

More blog posts by floribunda

Previous post: A little lost in Somerset........

Next post: Plant Hunters Galore!!



Comments

 

Told you ,you could write a book.Facinating info Flo,liked the single Tulip bulb,to think I sent quite a few of these to my local tip,please forgive me. Most of the new seeds are kept at my beloved Kew Gardens.:)(:

11 Jun, 2010

 

Love the eagle beautiful and another wonderful educating blog ..... sorry I was just counting how many bulbs I have to how many houses I could buy lol.

11 Jun, 2010

 

Interesting blog, enjoyed reading it.

11 Jun, 2010

 

Me too!

11 Jun, 2010

 

It's fascinating to hear of how gardening has developed over time. I enjoy your blogs very much.

11 Jun, 2010

 

I enjoyed reading this,Flori,and love the Eagle..what is it with you and flying?
Eagles,Magic carpets....:o) and THAT is my final word on that subject.Lol.
It was interesting to learn about the history of the Tulips too,always ready to learn something new.You seem to be enjoying your course as well..:o)))

11 Jun, 2010

 

Thank you for all your lovely comments, Red,Sixpence,Clarice,Ks and Hywel, to my latest Garden History blog~it is all the great feedback I receive from you all that keeps me company on my journey through time, and I am so pleased that you all enjoy it!
The 'Tulipmania' absolutely captured me, as it seems it did you too :~)) A few more facts about this was: The mania happened in the Netherlands, and two bulbs caused the greatest stir; 'The Viceroy', and the rare 'Semper Augustus' bulbs. Ironically, both suffered from 'Tulip breaking virus', otherwise known as 'Mosaic virus', caused by a tiny louse usually found on Peaches and Potatoes. This louse, caused colour mutations within the Tulip bulb, resulting in a 'speckling' appearance~Having one of these (the tulip bulb, not the louse! lol) was a real symbol of status and power, and caused the first ever recorded 'economic bubble'! The height of the 'bubble' was in the Winter of 1636-37, and was burst by a buyer failing to turn up and pay for his purchase! Panic was widespread, and the bubble burst, causing great financial ruin to many.
I have a horrible feeling that you might have missed out on this, Sixpence and Red~sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, ladies!! LOL :~))x

Hello Bloomer! Well the Eagle was kind of (very) loosely based on the Elizabethan love of Falconry and birds of prey, and as I don't happen to possess a Falcon.......this is about as close as I could get lol! Guess you could say I was just 'winging it' and 'feathering' out my 'tail', and hitting the 'beak' (groan) of my story! :~))x

11 Jun, 2010

 

so enjoyed the history lesson, i loved history and especiall elizebeths reign, sounds like your really enjoying your course to flori, love the eagle ;o))

11 Jun, 2010

 

Thank you San, it is always good to hear from you, my dear friend! Yes, I am loving this course, but the exam creeps ever nearer.....ooh...err,,,,,,! :~))x

11 Jun, 2010

 

im sure you will do just fine flori, you seem to be enjoying and keeping it all there in your head to,, my fingers and toes crossed for you my friend ;o)) x

11 Jun, 2010

 

Ha ha ha San! You just becareful you don't fall over with all those bits crossed my friend! Thank you for your confidence in me, just wish I felt the same! I hate Exams!!!! :~((

11 Jun, 2010

 

lol yes its a bit difficult getting about but worth it when you pass ;o)) i hate exams to, a bit stressfull

11 Jun, 2010

 

You're telling me! Whatever I revise for, they always ask for something I haven't! Our results from the last course we did, took 6 months before we knew if we had passed or not! Not my idea of fun I must admit!

11 Jun, 2010

 

i know my son taking Alevels flori and will be worried till he gets results,he knows he has passed some as its course work and got double distinctions for forensic science, he`s made up, so only need one C now to get what he wants for uni i think, thats in history,

11 Jun, 2010

 

I wish him great success, San! It doesn't get any easier taking exams no matter what age you are!

11 Jun, 2010

 

thats true flori, will pass on your best wishes , thanx flori, x

11 Jun, 2010

 

:~))xxx

11 Jun, 2010

 

Seems like you are doing so well in your Studies Flori..i enjoyed your
teachings, on the Elizabethen Period... we seem to be learning, the same
as you, with your updates..you should do very well, when it comes to the
Exams..awaiting the next lesson, Flori LOL

12 Jun, 2010

 

Hello Freesia! I am loving this course, and it makes it even better sharing it all with you, and getting your enthusiastic feedback to my blogs! I am glad to hear that you are still enjoying, my friend......Lovely to hear from you Freesia :~))x

13 Jun, 2010

 

just getting round all the blogs hun , u seem to b doing fine , lol all ur revision is on here just keep going over it .wen its fun it sinks in and i think u will pass em all ,so dont wory . my god i think we cud all take the xsam and pass after reading ur blogs .they r so interesting , so no worries ok xxxx

16 Jun, 2010

 

Hi Cristina, am glad you have such faith in me lol! This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding the info I have to keep in my head, but it does help cement it in place, and it seems to be going down well with other Goyers, like yourself, and that's what is important! As long as you all find it fun and interesting, I shall keep blogging lol! :~))

16 Jun, 2010

 

o yes please very interesting , better than reading a book lol. hope ur enjoying this sunshine ,am sat on garden swing on here its lovely . xx

16 Jun, 2010

 

You seem to have a lot of work to do,Flori,but nice to see you managing to
blog a bit...hope all is going well with your studying,,and I promise not to start another long silly blog,till you have finished...:o))....I have every faith that you will do well.By the way,your Heuchera is romping away now,and has been planted in the garden...looking good :o) Thanks. xx

16 Jun, 2010

 

Oh Cristina, I am envious! Have been pouring over revision last few days, hence why I'm a bit quiet on Goy at the moment lol! Told my college tutor about the blogs I have been doing regarding my course, and she is going to log on to take a look! I Hope she approves on my take on Garden History lol!!! Have a great day my friend!

I love your 'silly blogs' as you put it Bloomer, don't you dare stop! You have the gift of laughter, and like all good gifts, it's there to be shared :~)) We have got a revision test next Wednesday evening~oh how I wish I could just insert a memory card inside my nogging~it would make such a difference lol! Am a little confused about the Heuchera..............???
Thanks for your faith in me~just got to work on some of my own now, ha ha ha!!! :~))x

17 Jun, 2010

 

Another interesting and enjoyable blog Flori. I believe snowdrops and their family sell for thousands now too, though not as crazy prices as the tulips. As a youngster, I enjoyed a book by Dumas called The Black Tulip which would have been a priceless flower had it existed, and was about the "tulip madness". I'm sure you will have no problem in passing your exam as your enthusiasm is obvious. I'm taking a day off from gardening (mainly digging and planting out etc after makeover) to visit Gardeners World Live tomorrow at the NEC, ticket also covers Good Food Show which is same time, same place, so that's 2 of my favourite things, food and gardening.... Heaven:-)) Hope you are well?:-))

19 Jun, 2010

 

Forget about the Heuchera,Flori, lovely plant ,wrong person.Lol. don't ask !!
you have enough to worry about .:o))) don't want you losing sleep....

19 Jun, 2010

 

Hi Ba, thanks for your comment, and your faith in me! Hope you had a brilliant day at GW Live last Saturday~would love to go to that, but it is a long long way from us down here :~(( Hope it was all you wanted it to be my friend, and the sun shone brightly on you. :~)) I am not too bad, though cramming for my exam next Wednesday~we have a revision test this week~yipes!! :~((x

Bloomer....now you know how easily confused I get....it really doesn't take much these days.......ha ha ha x

21 Jun, 2010

 

Flori i have really enjoyed this blog, hope you do well in your exam.........

23 Jun, 2010

 

Hello L/lass, lovely to hear from you! Had our revision week this week, so next wednesday evening is the final exam..... :O(

25 Jun, 2010

 

What a very interesting account Flori. It is clear for us all to see how much you are enjoying your course and that you are getting a lot out of it.
Good luck with your final exam on Wednesday I'm sure that you will do well :-) Richard

28 Jun, 2010

 

Bless you, Rich,I have loved this course, and gained so much from it too, it is a pity that it is drawing to a close, but there will be more Garden History blogs to follow, as I am a bit late in adding the next installment........it's good to have you back with us! Thank you for your kind comments....... :~))x

28 Jun, 2010

 

Good Luck for tomorrow???:-)

29 Jun, 2010

 

Good luck from me too,Flori.I'm sure all your hard work will pay off,my thoughts will be with you...:o)))

29 Jun, 2010

 

Stop copying me Bloomer, anyway what thoughts? :-)

29 Jun, 2010

 

sorry Ba,I must try to be a bit more original...it was early morning,,.and they were very nice thoughts,for a change.Lol.........

29 Jun, 2010

 

:-))

29 Jun, 2010

 

Good luck with exam tomorrow Flori -I will be thinking of you x

29 Jun, 2010

 

Bless you Ba, Bloomer and Rich, and all of you who have supported me through my course, the journey wouldn't have been half as much fun without you all keeping me company. Will let you know how I got on! :~))xxx

29 Jun, 2010

 

Well-written blog Flori... well done :o)

2 Jul, 2010

 

Bless you Terra, it is so good to have you back on-line with us all! :~))

2 Jul, 2010

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