gardening in the eighth century

[coraa]

I was going through old files on my computer, and I found my thesis. Back when I was writing it, I posted this excerpt (from Charlemagne's "De Villis," in the capitularia). I still love it so much, so I'm posting it again:

It is our wish that they shall have in their gardens all kinds of plants: lily, roses, fenugreek, costmary, sage, rue, southernwood, cucumbers, pumpkins, gourds, kidney-bean, cumin, rosemary, caraway, chick-pea, squill, gladiolus, tarragon, anise, colocynth, chicory, ammi, sesili, lettuces, spider's foot, rocket salad, garden cress, burdock, penny-royal, hemlock, parsley, celery, lovage, juniper, dill, sweet fennel, endive, dittany, white mustard, summer savory, beets, hazelwort, marshmallows, mallows, carrots, parsnip, orach, spinach, kohlrabi, cabbages, onion, chives, leeks, radishes, shallots, cibols, garlic, madder, teazels, broad beans, peas, coriander, chervil, capers, clary. And the gardener shall have house-leeks growing on his house. As for trees, it is our wish that they shall have various kinds of apple, pear, plum, sorb, medlar, chestnut and peach; quince, hazel, almond, mulberry, laurel, pine, fig, nut and cherry trees of various kinds. The names of apples are: gozmaringa, geroldinga, crevedella, spirauca; there are sweet ones, bitter ones, those that keep well, those that are to be eaten straightaway, and early ones. Of pears they are to have three or four kinds, those that keep well, sweet ones, cooking pears and the late-ripening ones.

I could just roll around for hours in this kind of detail about everyday life and material culture. Hours and hours.

(Also, wouldn't that be a genuinely awesome garden?)

Comments

[catbird.livejournal.com]

Hemlock! I'm surprised to find that there. I guess everyone needs a handy poison in their garden.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

It was actually used medicinally, although not without risk, since the difference between a medicinal dose and a deadly dose is pretty small. I believe it was used as a sedative and for arthritis.