Week 3 & 4....From the Dark Ages......
By floribunda
9 comments
It seems, my fellow Goyers, that after the good old Romans, toddled off back home, and left us poor old Brits reeling, in A.D 436, we hit a bit of a dark period when it came to the gardening revolution, and all went just a little bit on the quiet side.
The party lads had returned back to Rome, leaving us twiddling our fingers and wondering what to do next, and this is when the Monasteries came into their own.
Gardening became more medicinal,and returned to Culinary planting, with the use of herbs, such as Sage, Chamomile and Parsley. Gardens remained private and enclosed, as the Church was very much seen as the seat of power, and, like our garden today, be it ever so humble, gardens symbolised their own form of heaven!
It was interesting to find how innovative these monks were,for example;
Poppy was used for medicinal Opium,
Lily was used for Snakebites And Corns,
Iris was used for Starch,
Fennel was used to make dye, and
Hawthorn & Oak were used to make Ink. Clever eh?
Moving forward in time, as the Dark Ages, (as they were called), wasn’t exacally that exciting, and I bet you’re starting to glaze over already……
After a period of civil unrest, cos it seems our lot liked a bit of a ruckus now and again over land and property, we eventually moved away from fortification and made a move towards more peaceful times, where gardens could once again become pleasurable and a source of demonstrating power and wealth-these two always seem to go hand in hand, don’t they?
Of course, we gained so much from the Romans, (and you can’t deny they were a pretty clever bunch at the time!), that when the Renaissance influence from Italy and France occurred, well, never one to turn something good down, we ‘borrowed’ from that as well!
Us Brits really have got our heads screwed on, never let a good idea pass us by!!
With the Renaissance came true Garden Design…………..
And there I shall leave you on that cliff-hanger, until I blog again, my dear fellow Goyers, if you can stand the excitement of Flori’s fleeting time travel journey through Garden History, and how the Past, is still very much alive, and with us in our gardens today!
16 May, 2010
6 likes
Previous post: Back to the classroom......week 2
Next post: The Age of Renaissance and Garden Design........
Comments
Very informative thank you Floribunda for shareing. Tomatoes were introduced from Italy too. Beetroot juice will reduce colestrol also can prevent heart attacks and strokes very good for lowering high blood pressure. lol I could go on with how plants also help our bodies.
17 May, 2010
Thank you, Hywel, I am glad you're enjoying it too, I know I'm doing it a bit light- heartedly, and tongue in cheek, but it really is fascinating, and I am so glad I decided to do this college course~but if I can make you smile~that's an added bonus in my book! :~))
Lovely to hear from you, Sixpence~ thanks for info, that sounds like a blog all on it's own, doesn't it? There was so much that got imported into our Country from overseas, and still is, come to that! I love the feedback these blogs encourage from everyone, and it increases my knowledge too~and that's what makes these blogs fun. Did you know that Daphne, Hellebores, Roses, Dianthus,Peony, Nasturtiums and Wallflowers all originated from the medieval period, plus Garlic and even Cucumbers?? The deeper I study, the more fascinating it becomes!:~))
17 May, 2010
Your welcome Floribunda, here is one to get your head around and educate you.
http://latestnews.virginmedia.com/news/uk/2010/05/16/no_archive_on_sea_monsters_navy
http://www.herballegacy.com/Bond_Medicinal.html
Whistles and flutes are also made from the elder.
17 May, 2010
yes i agree very interesting once again , nxt 1 please lol x
17 May, 2010
You learn more & more with every lesson Flori....Our own Prince Charlie
is a Herbal Medicine Fanatic, he grows his own...saw his programme on
television, taking us, on a tour around his gardens, it was very interesting!!!
I enjoy, your blogs, you are becoming a Tutor, to us, talking us through
your lessons, very educational...LOL you seem to be enjoying yourself
keep it up!! I am proud of you...a bit envious too..
18 May, 2010
Thanks Sixpence, will check out those sites! :~))
Lol, Cristina, am glad you are enjoying so much.....Thank you for the encouragement to keep going.....:~))
Hi Freesia, good to hear from you! I am having the best time on this course~and receiving great feedback too, which makes it even better. I don't know about being much of a tutor, when so many out there are so much wiser than I, but I do enjoy learning,and sharing what little nuggets I come across, so as long as you all out there enjoy it, I will keep updating,even if it is a little lightheartedly lol! Thank you all for your lovely comments, and taking the time to get back to me!Xx
19 May, 2010
wen will we get our degree !!!!!!!!!!!!! lol only kidding xx next one
24 May, 2010
Am working on it as we speak, Cristina, Lol!!!
25 May, 2010
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That was very interesting again. I'm enjoying your course lol
17 May, 2010