Draw similarities and differences between Mary gardens of the Medieval period and the gardens of the Elizabethan Emblematic period.

Despite rising in popularity during different time periods, Mary gardens and Elizabethan Emblematic gardens exhibit some distinct similarities, as well as several distinct characteristics that set them apart. 

Figure of Interest

The Mary gardens, or hortus conclusus, of the Medieval era, were religiously inspired by the Virgin Mary, with the entire symbolism and structure of the garden stemming from symbolism surrounding her. Similarly, gardens during the Elizabethan Emblematic period were inspired by historical woman figure, although they focused on Queen Elizabeth I, the “Virgin Queen”. In both instances, the woman, whether Mary or Queen Elizabeth, symbolically becomes the garden, and vice versa.

An Elizabethan Emblematic garden
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elizabethan_Gardens_-_sunken_garden_02.jpg

Concept

The original concept of the Mary gardens was derived from the Biblical verse “A garden locked is my sister, my bride; a garden locked, a fountain sealed” (4:12). Elizabethan Emblematic gardens were, in turn, inspired by the concept of Mary gardens, although while losing the accompanying religious symbolism. Structurally, the enclosed settings of the gardens were used to symbolize the purity and virginity of the women they represented. Mary gardens were typically present in monasteries, whereas gardens inspired by the so-called “Virgin Queen” were present throughout England during the time.

Hortus conclusus, a Mary garden
http://www.gardenhistorysociety.org/post/agenda/the-hortus-conclusus-at-little-sparta/

Symbolism

In both cases, symbolism within the garden was used to highlight various characteristics of the women, whether Mary or Elizabeth. In Mary gardens, white lilies were used to represent purity, while yellow dianthus stood for a glowing soul.  In Elizabethan Emblematic gardens, eglantines represented the queen’s virginity, and the red rose illustrated her authority and was the flower of the Tudor house. In these gardens, the elaborate plant choices were meant to depict Queen Elizabeth’s realm as an earthly paradise. While Mary gardens and Elizabethan Emblematic gardens were all closed in structure, Mary gardens were more informally ornamental on the interior, whereas Elizabethan Emblematic gardens typically remained highly structured and formal throughout.

Eglantines, symbolic of the queen's virginity
http://www.lemasdeseglantines.com/fr/fotogalerij.asp

For more information on the background of Elizabethan gardens, an interesting article is available at http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.dk/2012/03/elizabethan-gardening-craze.html