on, or _oeillet_, was called _armerie_; the pansy was
particularly in favour with the ladies, who embroidered it on their
handkerchiefs and their girdles. Still other flowers found a place in
this early horticultural catalogue, the marigold, gladiolus, stocks,
lily-of-the-valley and buttercups.

Frequently the _verger_ was surrounded by a protecting wall, of more or
less architectural pretense, with towers and accessories conforming to
the style of the period, and decorative and utilitarian fountains,
benches and seats were also common accessories.

[Illustration: _Henri IV in an Old French Garden_]

The old prints, which reproduced these early French gardens, are most
curious to study, amusing even; but their point of view was often
distorted as to perspective. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries,
perspective was almost wholly ignored in pictorial records. There was
often no scale, and no depth; everything was out of proportion with
everything else, and for this reason it is difficult to judge of the
exact proportions of many of these early French gardens.

The origin of garden-making in France, in the best accepted sense of the
term, properly began with the later years of the thirteenth century and
the early years of the fourteenth; continuing the tradition, remained
distinctly French until the mid-fifteenth century, for the Italian
influence did not begin to make itself felt until after the Italian wars
and travels of Charles VIII, Louis XI and Francis I.

The earliest traces of the work of the first two of these monarchs are
to be seen at Blois and, for a time henceforth, it is to be presumed
that all royal gardens in France were largely conceived under the
inspiration of Italian influences. Before, as there were primitives in
the art of painting in France, there were certainly French gardeners in
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. One of these, whoever he may
have been, was the designer of the _preaux_ and the _treilles_ of the
Louvre of Charles V, of which a pictorial record exists, and he, or
they, did work of a like nature for the powerful house of Bourgogne, and
for Rene d'Anjou, whom we know was a great amateur gardener.

The archives of these princely houses often recount the expenses in
detail, and so numerous are certain of them that it would not be
difficult to picture anew as to just what they referred.

Debanes, the gardener of the Chateau d'Angers, on a certain occasion,
gave an accou