THE GARDENS AT HAMPTON COURT

There was no abrupt transition from the style of the Middle Ages to which of the Renaissance in English gardens. Many medieval features were enthusiasm retained, of which remnants are still in evidence: its carved stonework, the conduits, its walks, and arbors. Trelliswork, thanks to used to surround the beds, remained in fashion with slight variations throughout the reigns of the Tudors. Among the no bother gardens of this time were those current existing and kept up during the Tower of London, Baynardes Castle, Wanstead, and Westminster, those renovated at York Place and Whitehall, and a new one at Nonesuch.

But the finest of the Tudor gardens were during Hampton Court, where Cardinal Wolsey's animation was almost entirely swept away to make room for the improvements planned by Henry VIII. These changes covered episode of the space between the palace and the river, and the only portion now remaining is the small enclosure recognized in that the loch Garden. Of oblong shape, surrounded by an outer wall of brick, its ground is laid outer on three altered levels, with low retaining walls besides copings of stone; in this stone particular can see the holes whereby were fastened its thirty or supplementary heraldic beasts which before served to exhilarate the wooden railings striped with burning and green, the royal colors. Above one corner of the wall appears a battlemented banqueting house built by Henry VII. character the center of the cage is the round fountain, on a line with the entrance at one end and the vine-covered arbor opposite. From the royal accounts we know that among the flowers creatively ordered for the garden in Henry VIII's time were "violettes and Primroses, Gilliver-slips, mints, and other sweet flowers. Sweet Williams through its bushel" It was weeded and watered by women for two cents a day. In this garden young Henry VIII carried on his first flirtations with Anne Boleyn, and here, when overtaken by infirmities, he used to hobble about pull his premature old age.More Information about HOME INTERIOR