Instruction for the jardins of fruitiers and potagers
The book Instruction pour les jardins fruitiers et potagers by Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie was first published in 1690, two years after the author's death. In further editions it will be titled Le parfait jardinier ou Instruction pour les jardins fruitiers et potagers . The title can be reproduced as The Perfect Gardener or Instructions for the Fruit and Vegetable Garden. La Quintinie was director of the royal kitchen gardens in Versailles from 1678 and thus acquired an overview of the horticultural knowledge of his time, which he reproduced in this work. In addition to useful plants and their varieties, topics include soil conditions, garden tools, plant breeding and the training of gardeners. The book is divided into two volumes, each of which is divided into three chapters. Each chapter is preceded by a decorative copperplate, and graphics illustrate the working techniques described.
The work saw numerous editions in French. It was translated into English by John Evelyn and published several times in this language.
literature
- Irmgard Siebert, Carola Spies, Stefan Schweizer (eds.): Gardens as they are in the book. Garden art historical publications from the 16th to 20th centuries from the holdings of the University and State Library in Düsseldorf . 2011, ISBN 978-3-942412-00-1 , pp. 32-33 .
Web links
- Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie: Instruction pour les jardins fruitiers et potagers . ( archive.org - edition of 1695 at archive.org).