17C Dutch Gardens by Jan van der Groen (1635-1671)

1670 Jan van der Groen's (1635-1671) Den Nederlandtsen Hovenier from www.biolib.de 6020.  Jan van der Groen (1635-1671), the gardener of Orange, wrote in 1669 "Den Nederlandtsen Hovenier." The book functioned as a manual & a visual source of information on "Dutch Classic Garden Architecture."  The pattern has the house standing at the end of an imaginary axis, which divides a rectangular piece of land into two halves. If possible, the rectangle has ideal dimensions, length & width as four to three. The whole is enclosed by trees, but may also be surrounded by a canal system. The rectangle itself is again divided into square gardens, usually decorated with French foliage & Italian flower beds. In this garden may be mazes, deciduous walks & deciduous giants. Walks guide along artfully constructed trellises, & there are also low fruit trees in diagonal rows intermingled with berries & grapes. Box hedges often surround low ornamental vegetation. There are also flower beds with pots on tiles. The geometric practical kitchen garden, a square or rectangle, was divided into equal parts by crossing paths. Roots, salad plants, & aromatic & medicinal herbs filled the beds.