How Medieval Herbs Were Used

For millenniums, in all different cultures throughout the world, cultivating and reaping herbs has been performed. It was even considered a high art in medieval Europe. With the Greeks lacking medical know-how and technology, the Middle Ages relied heavily on Medieval herbs for medicines. The practice they used mixed knowledge through experience with balderdash, but they did know much that was well-grounded.

Beautiful and beneficial Medieval herb gardens provided families with medicine, food seasonings, and a place to escape from reality. The Cloisters in New York provides a modern-day version of these gardens. Despite being built years later in the 1930s, Cloisters was fashioned to look as much like the cloisters of old through treatises and poetry from the time. This goal was more than achieved.

Even though New York's seasons vary greatly from freezing winters, hot and humid summers, and soggy Spring and Fall, the Cloisters flourish; including the herb garden, an important piece of the Bonnefont cloister.

This was loosely based on many sources but does not follow any of them perfectly. This resulted in elevated beds, wattle fences and a central wellhead which are all common traits of any Medieval herb garden model. Encompassed by orchards and a number of other plants, the Medieval herbs form the centerpiece of the garden, which any home practitioner would be envious of.

In the winter, many are placed inside pots that are similar to ones found in the period. This helps the fragile ones survive in the cold, harsh climate.

During the Middle Ages, people grew herbs for warding off evil spirits, which they viewed as a very useful purpose. They associated many herbs with special abilities. For instance, they thought Dill in particular possessed magical powers. They also thought some herbs had healing properties. For instance, they believed rosemary could prevent the plague and that sage could treat epilepsy.

Herbs were arranged at the Cloisters in nine sections corresponding to classifications used in the period. The first section holds Absinthe and Thistles, the second contains medical herbs, such as St. John's Wort and Liquorice. The third section holds Lavendar, Lemon Balm and other aromatics.

Herbs have been categorized by their usefullness in art and other questionable purposes such as promoting Love and Marriage. Meadow Rue and 'magic' plants such as Herb Robert are good examples. There is also a category for herbs used in cooking such as Caraway, Fennel, Parsley and Borage.

Despite the availability of the same plants, modern day herbalists are using medieval herbs less than in past times when their use was wide-spread. The medicinal properties of these herbs is more publicly discussed and correlates with similar uses of those in ancient times.

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