John Evelyn

John Evelyn (1620 - 1706) English writer, gardener and diarist.

Evelyn's diaries are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time. Evelyn and Pepys corresponded frequently and much of this correspondence has been preserved.

His treatise Sylva, or Discourse on Foreign Trees was written as an encouragement to landowners to plant trees to provide timber for England's burgeoning navy.