Markham
was one of the best known gardening writers of the
early Stuart days. In his early years he fought in the
wars in the Low Countries. He finally settled down in
England and became a famous breeder of horses. He is
believed to have imported the first Arab horse into
England.
His garden writings are full of freshness and
enthusiasm and in their time his books were very
popular. He published in 1613 The English
Husbandman. In 1614 he published The Second
Booke of the English Husbandman. His book permits
us to reconstruct the orchard, "pleasure garden" and
kitchen garden of the nobles and gentlemen of the
Stuart period. He attempted to deprecate the
development of gardens based on ideas introduced from
Italy, France and Germany. His gardens were to be
"strictly English."
