Parkinson, John 1567-1650  

Parkinson was the last British writer who belonged to the lineage of herbalists. He cultivated a famous garden in what is now the heart of London. He became herbalist to Charles I. His earlier book was a gardening work Paradisi in Sole-Paradisus Terrestris, A Garden of All Sorts of Pleasant Flowers, which our English Ayre will permit to be "noursed up" (1629). This contained elaborate directions for treatment of a garden, with an account of the plants cultivated at the time and their uses. The wood engravings were of great merit. Some are copies from l'Eluse and de l'Obel and others. His larger work was known as Theatrum botanicum: The Theater of Plants or an Herball of a Large Extent (1640).

Additional information about John Parkinson may be found on the Internet. Temple University Library Collection