What features were common in Elizabethan gardens?

Elizabethan gardens were characterized by an exuberant, playful approach to design, reflecting a shift toward gardens intended for personal enjoyment and delight rather than purely utilitarian purposes.1

Common features of these gardens included:

• Knot Gardens: Elaborate designs consisting of flower or herb beds separated by low, dwarf hedges.21
• Structural Elements: The inclusion of mazes and painted statuary to create visual interest.1
• Formal Layouts: Gardens were typically set against a backdrop of tall, clipped hedges and neatly scythed lawns.1
• Plant Selection: There was a strong preference for perfumed varieties, including carnations, lavender, sweet marjoram, musk roses, and poppies.1

While earlier medieval gardens were primarily focused on medicinal and culinary utility, the Elizabethan era marked the emergence of the garden as a form of creative display, influenced by Renaissance ideals of harmony and a growing curiosity about the natural world. By the early 17th century, the flower garden was well established, emphasizing year-round enjoyment through a variety of colors, forms, and scents.1