UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote that medieval life was "nasty, brutish and short," but a landscape design expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences points out that gardens created between 500 and 1500 A.D. offered a respite for the soul, as well as a source for food, household items and medicine.
"In medieval times, the garden functioned as a place to view beauty, but it also functioned as the drugstore, supermarket and hardware store," says Martin McGann, assistant professor of landscape contracting.
McGann will design and help install a full 12-foot by 30-foot medieval garden that will be on display April 10 and 11 in the White Building on the University Park campus as part of "Scenes and Seasons: The Medieval Landscape," a conference and fair to be held April 9-11 at various locations around University Park.
In addition, the college's department of agronomy will construct a 12th-century putting green and a display on medieval crop rotation. The department of food science also will present an exhibit on baking bread. Cost for the conference is $25; meals are not included. For more information on registration and the conference schedule, call Vicki Ziegler, director of the Center for Medieval Studies, at 814-863-7484.
McGann says few hard facts are available on how medieval gardens were built, although paintings reveal some styles and layouts of the time.
McGann explains that medieval gardens usually were enclosed -- either with a wall, moat or fence -- and often were divided into distinct sections. "There would be a utilitarian section, where vegetables and herbs for cooking were grown," he says. "There also would be sections for medicinal herbs and other plants used to treat ailments, as well as orchards and a 'pleasure ground' for flowers, ornamental trees and turf."
Many medieval gardens, including the site McGann designed in the White Building, also featured an "excedra" -- a raised bench with turf grown on the seat -- where visitors could sit in quiet contemplation. "Many of these turf seats had other plants growing in the turf," McGann says. "These other plants would be crushed when people sat on them, releasing pleasing aromas. In the Middle Ages, bathing wasn't a high priority, so maybe people were reluctant to sit next to each other without some type of natural air freshener."
McGann says homeowner-designed medieval gardens don't have to be totally authentic. He recommends sticking to rectilinear layouts, using raised beds that are rectangular or square. Pathways should be covered with stone or gravel. The garden can be enclosed by period-style fencing of boards, lattice or wattle.
According to McGann, the most important medieval element for modern homeowners to retain is the multiple-use functions, creating the "pleasure ground," vegetable plot and herbal garden in a single design.
He recommends reading "The Medieval Garden," by Sylvia Landsberg, to become familiar with plants, shrubs and flowers used in the Middle Ages. "Most of the plants still are available today in one form or another," he says. "Mail-order companies offer older varieties, and you can find many usable varieties at large garden centers."
McGann warns that homeowners should avoid using certain herbs or plants for medicinal purposes. "Some of the medicinal herbs used in medieval times can cause major health problems if used or consumed by someone unfamiliar with their effects," he says.
McGann also suggests that would-be garden designers think about how a medieval garden fits their house. "If you live in a castle or a large estate home, a medieval garden might not look out of place," he laughs. "But a medieval design may not look good next to a ranch or contemporary-style house."
McGann encourages homeowners to add their own touches to a medieval design. Medieval plants also can be featured in gardens without using an authentic design. Medieval gardens evolved over time to include flower gardens, ponds, fountains, topiary and other features. "The medieval period encompassed one thousand years. That takes in a lot of different garden designs and styles."
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EDITORS: For more information, contact Martin McGann at 814-863-7595.
Contacts: John Wall jtw3@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax