Medieval monastic gardens and the cultivation of medicinal herbs
In the Middle Ages, monasteries were not only places of prayer but also centers for cultivating medicinal plants and preserving natural knowledge. Monastic gardens, thoughtfully divided into herb beds, orchards, and cloister courtyards, provided food, medicine, and space for contemplation. Let us walk through their green world, where practicality blended with beauty and spiritual symbolism.
PhDr. Barbora Půtová, Ph.D., Ph.D. et Ph.D
During the medieval period, monasteries served as centers and transmitters of natural and medicinal knowledge. This was supported by the cultivation of herbs, spices, and other plants and crops. Gardens of medicinal plants, known as herb gardens (herbularius), formed an integral part of monastic complexes. They were often incorporated into a larger number of functional units that together formed cohesive garden systems.
The layout of a medieval monastery was based on the ideal model of the Benedictine monastery in Abbey of St. Gall. Its preserved plan from the early 9th century illustrates the arrangement of individual gardens as well as the range of cultivated plants.
In addition to the medicinal herb garden, the monastic complex typically included a vegetable garden, an orchard (nursery), and in some cases also vineyards or hop gardens.
Because monastic orders required self-sufficiency, monks focused on providing for their own needs. Gardening and the cultivation of medicinal plants were a regular part of their daily lives.
The processing of medicinal plants, the preparation of remedies, and their application were closely linked to the care of the sick, the elderly, the poor, and those in need. For this reason, hospitals and pharmacies were gradually incorporated into monastic complexes.
Monks preserved and disseminated knowledge about the practical use of plants. In monastic gardens, they cultivated both well-known and lesser-known species, whose medicinal properties they were still verifying. At the same time, they refined cultivation techniques and contributed to the development of native medicinal plant species.
In Central European monastic gardens, non-native medicinal plants from the Mediterranean region and Western Europe were gradually introduced and cultivated.
Medicinal herbs were cultivated in rectangular beds, separated from the surrounding soil by woven fences or wooden boards. Within these herb beds, there were also plants used for dyeing fabrics (e.g., safflower), producing liqueurs (e.g., rue), utility crops (such as melon, radish, lovage), as well as ornamental flowers (lilies, poppies, or roses).
Among the most commonly grown medicinal herbs were sage, lemon balm, peppermint, fennel, rosemary, and betony.
Many useful and medicinal plants, such as roses, iris, or lilies, were also used to decorate the interiors of churches and monasteries, where, in addition to their aesthetic function, they carried symbolic meaning. The utilitarian and economic role of monastic gardens was thus complemented by a meditative and spiritual dimension.
An important element in this regard was the cloister garden (paradisus), a place for prayer, contemplation, and rest. It was located at the center of the cloister, a part of the monastery not accessible to the public, and symbolized the earthly paradise. To make this image as vivid as possible, a wide variety of plant species were cultivated within its space.
