Medieval herb gardens were a collection of plants for a variety of uses; often divided into separate raised beds. There were kitchen herb plants for seasoning, dying fabrics, use around the house, and as part of a stew type dish called pottage. Other beds contained medicinal or physic herbs for medicines or religious ceremonies.
Some plants and herbs are still in use today, although most are no longer used for the same exact purposes. Oftentimes a plant such as rosemary could be used for multiple purposes such as cleansing, seasoning and warding off bugs and evil spirits so it wasn’t necessarily confined to a single garden space. Medieval gardens also typically had fences or enclosures of some sort, and raised turf benches as a seating area to allow enjoyment of the garden.
The following plants are all herb plants that were found in medieval garden designs in some form or another although it is by no means conclusive. The medieval era lasted over a hundred years so gardening trends changed over time just as is true today.
Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) – A personal favorite of mine, lavender is still widely grown today and used for a variety of purposes. Hardy and easy-to-grow you can find detailed information about lavender plants on the lavender plant profile. ‘Lady’ is a cultivar that blooms from seed the first year or select bedding plants already started for quick blooms.
Apothecary’s Rose (Rosa gallica var. officinalis) – This lovely rose grows on a shrubby plant that can spread via suckers if grown on own root but was often used in medieval gardens both for medicinal and religious purposes. The rose plant grows 2-5’ and is disease and pest resistant with 4” fragrant flowers. Apothecary’s rose will tolerate poor soil and part shade making it an excellent choice for less-than-ideal conditions in zones 3-10. See this blog with an authentic rose recipe from the medieval era.
Dill (Anethum graveolens) – A widely used and attractive herb plant, dill is also an excellent choice for cut flowers or cottage gardens. Dill plants are beautiful with large clusters of yellow flowers that attract a variety of beneficial insects, and fine cut foliage that blends nicely with other plants. Dill is an annual herb that will self-sow readily in the garden but should be kept away from fennel to avoid cross-pollination.
Thyme (Thymus spp.) – Thyme is another herb used as a culinary herb when cooking but was also used during medieval times to burn as incense for warding off evil spirits or to cleanse from disease. Thyme is a hardy perennial herb and come in a bush form or as a creeping ground cover. Thyme foliage is also often evergreen – See the Plant Profile for more details about this useful herb plant.
Angelica (Angelica archangelica) – A short-lived herb, Angelica will self-sow in the garden to keep a fresh supply each year. This herb plant is hardy zones 3-9 and the leaves are nice in salads or dried for potpourri. Angelica is often used to flavor liquors and gives gin and vermouth their distinctive flavors. Grow Angelica in part-shade, rich soil that is moist but well-drained. The pretty herb plant will produce large airy clusters of small white flowers and grow 4-6’ tall.
Don't Miss Medieval Herb Garden Plants Part 2
