Lynn Smythe
Monk Herbalists
January 17th 2008 19:51
The Cloisters Monastic Herb Garden
"No joy is so great in a life of seclusion as that of gardening. No matter what the soil may be, sandy or heavy clay, on a hill or a slope, it will serve well."
Walafrid Strabo, Hortulus, c. 840 AD
Hortulus
Hortulus was a poem written by the German monk Walafrid Strabo in the 9th century. Strabo, who lived from 808-849 AD, was the Abbot of Reichenau, an island monastery located on Lake Constance in Switzerland. Hortulus, which translates to "The Little Garden", describes Strabo's personal monastery garden. The poem contains descriptions of the many herbs that were grown in his garden along with their medicinal uses.
"Amongst my herbs, sage holds the place of honour; of good scent it is and full of virtue for many ills."
Walafrid Strabo, Hortulus, c. 840 AD
Some of the plants that are mentioned in the poem include the following:
Betony - Stachys officinalis - betony was thought to be a sort of panacea in the Middle Ages and a wide range of symptoms and problems were thought to be alleviated by this wonder herb. An infusion made of the leaves helped to relieve headaches.
Catmint - Nepeta cataria - an infusion of the leaves was used to relieve cold symptoms and to help calm a nervous disposition.
Chervil - Anthriscus cerefolium - this herb was used as a blood purifier and to warm and sooth a weak stomach.
Horehound - Marrubium vulgare - the juice expressed from the leaves was mixed with honey and used to relieve coughs and colds.
Poppies - Papaver somniferous - a syrup was made of the seed heads and used as a sleep potion, pain reliever and cough medicine. This is the opium poppy from which morphine, heroine and codeine are derived and is currently subject to legal restrictions.
My complete article, Monk Herbalist; All About Ancient Medieval Healers, can be found on the Associated Content website.
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