Peter Aram was a gardener active in the late-17th and early-18th centuries. He was born in Nottinghamshire, England and as a young man travelled to London where he trained as a gardener under George London and worked for the Bishop of London. By the late-17th century Aram was working for Sir Edward Blackett at Newby Hall, North Yorkshire, England. There, Aram played an integral role in the development of the gardens at Newby Hall. This is illustrated by his visit to the Netherlands in 1696, which involved the purchasing of various plants for his employer and the Hall (1696). Following Blackett's death in 1718, Aram took up employment as Steward at Ripley Castle, North Yorkshire.
He also wrote poems including 'Studley-Park' (1733) in addition to a gardening work named 'A Practical Treatise of Flowers' (not published until 1985). The treatise provides detailed advice based on observation and experience, displaying the 18th-century interest in evidence and accurate measurement.
Peter Aram died in 1735 and was buried at Ripley parish church.
Sources:
Goodridge, J., ‘Aram, Peter (bap. 1667, d. 1735)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004) <http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/39742, accessed 27 Feb 2008 >