Medieval Gardening Continued

This week's blog will be a continuation of last weeks in terms of discussing Medieval gardens.  I will be talking about the uses of the plants from Medieval gardens which range from medicinal uses to domestic uses  and finally to ritual and magical uses.  As I mentioned in my last blog the semester is coming to a close in a few weeks and my focus will be turned to writing the paper and creating the website.  For this reason, the next few blogs will be shorter than earlier ones.

In her book Medieval Gardens, Elisabeth MacDougall discusses the various plant species that existed in Medieval gardens and how they were utilized in every day life.  One aspect of Medieval gardens was the utilization of root plants such as carrots, beets, and turnips.  Not only were these plants  eaten, but they were also used in Medieval medicine.  Among the most common gardening plants were onions, leeks, and garlic.  A variety of legumes were also planted in these Medieval gardens and included peas, beans, lentil, and chickpeas.  Leafy vegetables like cabbage (most common), lettuce, endive, and spinach to name a few, were also planted in these gardens.  Herbs were also planted, mainly so that their leaves could be used as spices or in medicaments.  Fruit trees were also planted in Medieval gardens, the two most popular being apple and pears.  Some other fruit trees included cherries and quinces which were much more utilized in Medieval cuisine. (1)

In terms of seasoning, people during the Medieval period used herbs in large quantities in order to cover up, enhance, or just cook dishes.  Herbs served other purposes of flavoring breads, pastries, cheeses, beverages, and to create medicines.  The seeds from the herbs were also used and flavor was extracted from the leaves. (2)

One of the areas MacDougall discusses is the use of these plant species when treating people "externally."  The macerated leek for instance was applied to skin in order to treat sores.  Mustard plaster was used to treat the common cold by applying it on the chest.  Leaves from various plants were used to close wounds and to stop the loss of blood.  Certain leaves from cabbages and beats were used to create dressings and bandages.  Herbs were mixed with oil or grease to make ointments.  Different plants were also used to alleviate pain.  Oftentimes, those in the Medieval period used the same recipes the Greeks and Romans used to make certain medicaments. (3)

Another area discussed in the book is the domestic use of garden plants.  Species were used to make dyes, perfumes, and cosmetics.  One specific example is the use of woad to make blue dye..  Petals and/or foilage were used to make food coloring, while sage leaves were used to color hair black.  Other remedies include the use of onion juice to remove freckles and calendula to remove warts.  Rosemary, lily petals, roses, and violets were used to add scents to water.  Medieval peoples also used plants to make glue; they used quince seed, marshmallow root, and cherry gum.  Plant species were also used to make chaplets, garlands, and wreaths.  This became a big business in urban cities, but was also a hobby within individual households. (4)

The last group of species were used for ritual and magical purposes.  Plants and plant products were used to avoid certain natural processes.  Other plants such as artemisia, calendula, and verbena were believe to be apotropaic (Ward off evil spirits and monsters).  Just by carrying a portion of these plants, one would be protected.  Another example is the narcissus bulb that was kept in the house and believed to protect its occupants.  The stalk of fennel or verbena were believed to have the power of "eliminating demons." (5)

I especially enjoy MacDougall's discussion of the various uses of Medieval garden plants.  I think she did a great job in her discussion of the medicinal and ritual uses of these plants; in fact, I thought they were very interesting!  

During this week I have also started working on my paper which is going well! I got seven pages down so far and I'm looking forward to finishing some more before the week ends.  The fact that I did these weekly blogs the entire semester has made it easier to gather my thoughts and write the paper.  Looking forward to the last few weeks of school!


1. Elisabeth B. MacDougall, ed., Medieval Gardens (Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Trustees for Harvard University, 1986), 84-86.
2. Ibid., 86-87.
3. Ibid., 87-89.
4. Ibid., 89-90.
5. Ibid., 90-91.