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The Medieval Garden (Paperback) /anglais
As well as food and medicine, the medieval garden provided pleasure, repose and refreshment to the senses. From detailed manuscript descriptions and illustrations, this work presents a picture of the various styles of medieval garden from the small enclosed herber to vast cultivated parks of royalty and nobility. The author combines her historical knowledge with practical experience of re-creating medieval gardens in various sites in England, explaining how she designed Queen Eleanor's garden at Winchester and Brother Cadfael's physic garden at Shrewsbury. She gives detailed descriptions of layouts, measurements, the types of tools required and the medieval gardener's calendar illustrated in the 12 "occupations of the months". The book also offers practical advice to readers on how to create typical medieval features in their gardens, such as a turf-covered brick bench, a rose- or vine-covered trellis, or a wild flower meadow.
144 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 18, 2019
This is a slim but very good introduction to the details of the Medieval Garden of Western Europe, with particular focus on English gardens. Even if you have no intention to use the information here, it is still very entertaining. The author knows her stuff (some of the example new version of gardens of this type have been made by her), and the book has many illustrations and details. Anyone who loves to garden may be inspired; even if you don't want to make a garden themed like this, you could still pick a lot of details for your garden.
The period we're talking about here is c.800-1500 (some of period was warmer than now, so wine-growing was more common). The influence of the Arabic/Byzantine world is felt, as is the influence from queens brought to marry English kings from abroad (including the two Eleanors).
Certain gardens are reimagined, including fictional ones like of the book series of Brother Cadfael. At the end are lists of places to visit (I think you have to check more since time has passed), a bibliography, and the index of plants mentioned in the book.
The chapters:
Types of gardens: herber (not a herb garden), orchard, pleasure park, vineyards, kitchen garden, monastic garden, plus whatever the pleasant closes had
Details of what was included in them: walks & arbours, seats, plant beds & paths, turf & flowers, meads, fountains & ornate pools, courtyards, wood material, boundaries & fences, rivers moats & fishponds, dovecots
What plants were in them: incl. a long list, what was in medicine plots
Practice: gardener's status, measuring & layouts, tools, seasonal work, plant nurturing etc.
Re-created places in detail (here's the Brother Cadfael place)
And How to make your own, with some examples and advice
Although I have no interest in using all this information, it was still far from dull, and I imagine for a garden person it would be even more fun. It might also be useful for story writers if one wants information on the gardening of this time period (especially if set in England). The pictures of art and real gardens, and the maps of plans are also laid well, so that when you need a pause in reading, there they are. Surprisingly wonderful reading experience.
The period we're talking about here is c.800-1500 (some of period was warmer than now, so wine-growing was more common). The influence of the Arabic/Byzantine world is felt, as is the influence from queens brought to marry English kings from abroad (including the two Eleanors).
Certain gardens are reimagined, including fictional ones like of the book series of Brother Cadfael. At the end are lists of places to visit (I think you have to check more since time has passed), a bibliography, and the index of plants mentioned in the book.
The chapters:
Types of gardens: herber (not a herb garden), orchard, pleasure park, vineyards, kitchen garden, monastic garden, plus whatever the pleasant closes had
Details of what was included in them: walks & arbours, seats, plant beds & paths, turf & flowers, meads, fountains & ornate pools, courtyards, wood material, boundaries & fences, rivers moats & fishponds, dovecots
What plants were in them: incl. a long list, what was in medicine plots
Practice: gardener's status, measuring & layouts, tools, seasonal work, plant nurturing etc.
Re-created places in detail (here's the Brother Cadfael place)
And How to make your own, with some examples and advice
Although I have no interest in using all this information, it was still far from dull, and I imagine for a garden person it would be even more fun. It might also be useful for story writers if one wants information on the gardening of this time period (especially if set in England). The pictures of art and real gardens, and the maps of plans are also laid well, so that when you need a pause in reading, there they are. Surprisingly wonderful reading experience.
December 15, 2022
A delightful read with amazing visuals and practical advice. I can now paint a clearer picture of the medieval world.
June 20, 2013
All about the medieval garden in England. All sorts of variety and uses and what can be pieced together for the facts..
The herber, which is the walled garden you probably think of with flowers, and trees (mostly for shade, gardeners are actually cautioned not to dig up the ground and manure them much, despite the effect on fruit), and grass. Lots of grass, sometimes watered to keep it green because green had restful effects. Sometimes it would have flowers growing in it like thyme, but they had to be low growing because the grass was scythed, and it actually took some time for the lawnmower to catch up in closeness to a scyther.
There were two others common:
The orchard, enclosed in walls for various reason -- one being that it had to be enclosed to qualify as an orchard. Some held only one kind of trees, but others held several.
And the small park. This faded into the hunting park, but its purpose was to let you walk about and appreciate
Dovecotes. The true dove, the little white bird you think of, has the advantage that it doesn't eat garden plants, so you can easily put it next to the garden and use the manure easily.
All the various gardens that a monastery would have. And what can be deduced about peasant gardens.
The growing coppices -- trees that had been cut down and responded by putting out a whole bunch of sprouts. They would be harvested every few years to provide poles for fencing.
What could be eaten. What were true weeds and what they probably let grow and then ate.
A fascinating look at an odd corner of medieval life. With glances up and down the social scale.
The herber, which is the walled garden you probably think of with flowers, and trees (mostly for shade, gardeners are actually cautioned not to dig up the ground and manure them much, despite the effect on fruit), and grass. Lots of grass, sometimes watered to keep it green because green had restful effects. Sometimes it would have flowers growing in it like thyme, but they had to be low growing because the grass was scythed, and it actually took some time for the lawnmower to catch up in closeness to a scyther.
There were two others common:
The orchard, enclosed in walls for various reason -- one being that it had to be enclosed to qualify as an orchard. Some held only one kind of trees, but others held several.
And the small park. This faded into the hunting park, but its purpose was to let you walk about and appreciate
Dovecotes. The true dove, the little white bird you think of, has the advantage that it doesn't eat garden plants, so you can easily put it next to the garden and use the manure easily.
All the various gardens that a monastery would have. And what can be deduced about peasant gardens.
The growing coppices -- trees that had been cut down and responded by putting out a whole bunch of sprouts. They would be harvested every few years to provide poles for fencing.
What could be eaten. What were true weeds and what they probably let grow and then ate.
A fascinating look at an odd corner of medieval life. With glances up and down the social scale.
November 3, 2022
A visually-beautiful book and very informative. I've long been interested in gardening in general and medieval gardening in particular, particularly herb gardening. I am planning a proper herb garden of my own and intend to incorporate some medieval features, modified to be compatible with the Oklahoma climate which is very different from medieval England and Northern Europe which is the focus in this book.
December 9, 2017
Zaujímavá kniha o stredovekých záhradách a záhradníctve - typy záhrad, súčasti záhrady, rastliny (ocenila som Fromondov zoznam), práca v záhrade a niečo aj o obnovovaní stredovekých záhrad. Doplnené reprodukciami malieb či nákresov. Trochu mi chýbal poznámkový aparát, na konci je síce zoznam literatúry, rastlín i všeobecný index, citácie by však celému dielu ešte pomohli (a mne tiež :-)).
November 26, 2014
I was disappointed by this book, as I had read some very positive reviews. It's hard to see it as a scholarly work when there are not only no footnotes, but the many excellent illustrations are without any proper reference as to their origins. An examination of the bibliography shows a heavy reliance on secondary rather than primary works, and the writing is a bit dry, not bringing the medieval period to life as is done successfully in other nonfiction exploring this period.
January 25, 2015
A slender volume with a nice cover. Very throughly indexed.
May 25, 2016
Enjoyed this - it's nicely set out and has more information than some of the other similar books.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews