We saw last week how the story of the Golden Apples from the legendary Garden the Hesperides was adapted by 17thc gardening writers to imply that Hercules didn’t steal apples but golden oranges and lemons instead. That switch from apples to oranges is clearly echoes in the first English book on growing citrus, published in 1683. The author talks of these “outlandish Trees” and goes on…” under the Name of Hesperides is nothing else Understood by Modern Authors, but the Ordering and Management of Citron, Limon, and Orange Trees.”
At roughly the same time there were two other books about growing citrus , both called Hesperides – one Dutch and one German – both full of beautiful detailed engravings showing not just fruit as you might expect but also a large number of gardens and other plates which hark back to the classical myths and legends.
The Garden History Blog 
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