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

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Oh, that sounds nifty!

I think my favorite line is "And the gardener shall have house-leeks growing on his house." Apparently house-leeks are a really hardy type of leek that used to seed and take root on rooftops. Bit tricky to harvest, but very cool.

[bellwethr.livejournal.com]

That's way cool. I think we actually have house-leeks, assuming it's what I see when I google houseleek:

http://betterlivingwithherbs.com/tag/houseleek/

Really not what I was expecting though!

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Clearly your garden will be safe from lightning! And witchcraft!

[bellwethr.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yes!

are you growing anything this summer?

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Just herbs and flowers this year (herbs off the back balcony, wildflower seeds planted in the back bed) -- we're going to need to do some serious prep-work with the back yard to make it ready to grow veg, and we weren't up for it this spring. Next year!

[bellwethr.livejournal.com]

Well, let me know if you need any help prepping your garden beds. I'm going to be getting a roto-tiller to simplify prepping my own, and will be more than willing to lend a hand!

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Will do! Similarly, if you want a hand with your garden at any point, we'd be happy to help out. :D

[maggiedacatt.livejournal.com]

Speaking of witchcraft, have you seen this?

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Late replying, but that is awesome! I'd heard that witch bottles dated back pretty far, but that's the first one I've heard of that was actually found intact.