Medieval Herb Garden Plants Part 1 looked briefly at the historic uses of herbs in medieval gardens, and began a list of five medieval plants still in use today. This is Part 2 which examines six more medieval herb plants.
Borage (Borage officinalis) – A hardy annual, borage is a weedy looking herb with bright blue flowers. Borage leaves are used in salads, sauces or in teas while the flowers are used to decorate deserts, lemonades, frozen as ice and put in liquors or other drinks. Plants grow to 2’ tall and have bright blue, star shaped flowers. Grow borage in the full sun and well-drained soil with mulch covering to promote strong growth.
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) – Another common name for bee balm is “Oswego tea plant” because Oswego Indians used the herb leaves in tea. Monarda is a 2-3’ tall plant with bright red or pink flowers that are highly attractive to hummingbirds and honeybees, hence the name bee balm. Bee balm is also sometimes called wild bergamot because it has a fragrance similar to bergamot orange plants. Hardy in zones 4-8 grow bee balm in full sun to part shade where it will spread easily if it feels comfortable. Powder mildew can be a problem so select resistant cultivars like ‘Jacob Cline’ or ‘Marshall’s Delight’. ‘Petite Delight’ is a compact monarda cultivar with extremely high resistance as is ‘Petite Wonder’ a paler pink flowering form.
Sage (Salvia officinalis) – Salvia is a huge genus but Salvia officinalis refers to the culinary herb. Sage leaves are usually grey-green, nicely textured and are the part of the plant used for cooking. In the medieval era gardens sage was also grown for religious reasons as they were considered a sacred herb. Sage prefers full sun and well-drained moderate soil and will produce purple flowers in the summer that can hold their own in a mixed border. ‘Purpurea’ has purple leaves and ‘Icterina’ is multi-colored with bright yellow and green leaves.
Rosemary (Romarinus officinalis) – Rosemary is an herb that grows into a 5-6’ tall shrub in zones 8-11 if grown outdoors but grows 2-4’ in containers further north. Rosemary plants have aromatic, needle like leaves that are used in wedding bouquets to symbolize remembrance and fidelity. Rosemary foliage is also used widely as a culinary herb and was used in medieval gardens for medicinal purposes as well. In the spring rosemary produces small blue flower. Grow rosemary plants in full sun, alkaline soil and slightly sandy, well-drained soil.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) – Fennel plants have green feathery foliage that is pleasing blending with other plants in the medieval herb garden. Fennal has an Anise like flavor for seasoning, tea and stews. Fennel plants prefer full sun, average, well-drained soil and cool weather. Fennel with grow 3-4’ tall stems with wispy yellow flowers and does well in zones 6-10. Direct sowing is best with this medieval herb because transplanting can stunt the fennel’s growth. ‘Purpureum’ has chocolate brown foliage and ‘Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare var rubrum) has red-brown foliage.
Nasturtium (Tropaelum majus) – Nasturtiums may growth in bushy forms or with trailing stems, but either way these annuals are useful medieval plants. The flowers are edible and are often added to salads. An easy to grow annual plant, nasturtiums have rounded leaves and bright, cheerful flowers that are usually red, orange or yellow. Direct sow in full sun for best results.
