medieval herb garden

I cannot find anything in writing,but judging from this picture it could be that the paths and such may have been just grassy areas, with "weeds" spilling over from the cultivated parts.



This is from "Il fiore di virtù", published in Venice in the XV century. May be turf with small flowers (daisies? violets?) would be pretty and also recall medieval tapestries (like the lady and the unicorn...). Just an idea. I suspect rich monasteries would pave the ways of their hortus conclusus.
At the centre of the garden they would have a tree (arbor vitae) or a well, and a pergola with vine (grapes) over the best exposed paths.

Good luck!

PS Many restored "herb gardens" of medieval or renassaince origin in Italy (like the Orto dei Semplici in Florence) have gravel paths now, but I don't know if it is authentic or just practical.

 

Thank you Ivory, that's very useful information. Also I agree that gravel may be more practical although more modern. I've just ordered a book that was recommended by a fellow designer called Medieval Gardens by Sylvia Landsberg and I'm hoping that will have more information. Also I'm planning to visit the RHS library in Vincent Square where I believe I may find some more reference material.
Chris <a href=”http://www.chrisodonoghue.co.uk”>www.chrisodonoghue.co.uk</a>

 

:gnthb::gnthb::gnthb:
For your detail and working hard to stay historical.

 

My problem is more logistics, I'm in Nottingham and the only one in the family that's really into gardening so Im looking at an expensive train ticket or a very long coach journey, I'll make it some how

 

Quite right, but it is often assumed that poisonous plants would have been used for sinister purposes. While I'm sure this may have happened from time to time, oddly enough poisonous plants were, and still are to this day, used in medicine. Deadly Nightshade is used in herbal medicine to south nervous tension and aid sleep, albeit it in very tiny quantities and usually mixed with a much more inert base.