DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16632#0216
The Middle Ages in the West
•lit
In the garden itself people liked best to sit on the smooth turf seats, which mostly ran
along the walls and were either propped up with bricks or stood alone (Fig. 131). In the
same way they sat about at games or in conversation, or for weaving wreaths. They sat on
the grass (Fig. 132), for here the flowers were not set out in beds,
but grew scattered about anywhere on the grass.
As early as the tenth century there is a Psalter which shows
the meeting of the two Maries with Christ in a flower-meadow of
this kind, and they tread on a fine carpet of growing flowers.
At a later time they were not content to have only one
garden, but had several, separated from one another by lattices or
gates. In the Roman de la Rose we have a pretty picture of
separated gardens (Fig. 133). In the middle of the flowery part is
the fountain, which keeps the lawn from getting dry and bare; out
of the tank starts a narrower canal, which waters the rest of the
garden, and flows out through a trellised gap in the wall. Behind
an avenue of trees a trellis overgrown with roses is seen in the
background. Yet another separates this garden from the next,
which is full of flower-beds. These are mostly bordered by stone
walls, as in the Brussels picture (Fig. 138); but in the David picture | ™ mHAlA
(Fig. 149) there is only a little wooden paling to border the earth.
The paths between the beds were hard and sanded, very nicely and
evenly kept. When indeed the garden was to be particularly orna-
mental, the beds had tiles round them, as we can see in the
charming little garden beside the dwelling of St. Hieronymus in
the Brussels picture (Fig. 138). In this miniature we also see that
there is a clipped tree in one of the beds, and a little well in
another. Very frequently these trees were set in the middle of
flower-beds, and cut so as to make three wreaths (Fig. 134). This
favourite form was used for the tree at the Festival of Spring on
May Day, and artificial fruits were hung on the crowns as an
attraction to the dancers (Fig. 135).
The arbour is of very great importance in the gardens of the
Middle Ages. It was known to the ancients in the form of a pergola
or trellis-work, covered with green, possibly supported on posts,
and very attractive, but in gardens of that early date not so
necessary; for the portico gave a convenient shelter against sun or
bad weather in the larger gardens, and in the smaller ones at
private houses there were generally buildings all round. But now FIG. i34. garden with
the garden was mostly a thing set apart, and needed a real shelter clipped trees and
in the open: roses and honeysuckle covered every sort of arbour
and kept off the hot sun (Fig. 136); and a very slightly-built summer-house was enough
in which to hide with a faithful lover. Also the walk leading to these bowers could be used
to stroll about in (Fig. 139). A rose-tree was often grown "so broad and thick that it can
give its shade to twelve knights together; wound round evenly and bent into a hoop, yet
taller than a man; under the same thorny bush there is golden mullein and lovely grass/"
#giawr Mn&± -:*s*kt
•lit
In the garden itself people liked best to sit on the smooth turf seats, which mostly ran
along the walls and were either propped up with bricks or stood alone (Fig. 131). In the
same way they sat about at games or in conversation, or for weaving wreaths. They sat on
the grass (Fig. 132), for here the flowers were not set out in beds,
but grew scattered about anywhere on the grass.
As early as the tenth century there is a Psalter which shows
the meeting of the two Maries with Christ in a flower-meadow of
this kind, and they tread on a fine carpet of growing flowers.
At a later time they were not content to have only one
garden, but had several, separated from one another by lattices or
gates. In the Roman de la Rose we have a pretty picture of
separated gardens (Fig. 133). In the middle of the flowery part is
the fountain, which keeps the lawn from getting dry and bare; out
of the tank starts a narrower canal, which waters the rest of the
garden, and flows out through a trellised gap in the wall. Behind
an avenue of trees a trellis overgrown with roses is seen in the
background. Yet another separates this garden from the next,
which is full of flower-beds. These are mostly bordered by stone
walls, as in the Brussels picture (Fig. 138); but in the David picture | ™ mHAlA
(Fig. 149) there is only a little wooden paling to border the earth.
The paths between the beds were hard and sanded, very nicely and
evenly kept. When indeed the garden was to be particularly orna-
mental, the beds had tiles round them, as we can see in the
charming little garden beside the dwelling of St. Hieronymus in
the Brussels picture (Fig. 138). In this miniature we also see that
there is a clipped tree in one of the beds, and a little well in
another. Very frequently these trees were set in the middle of
flower-beds, and cut so as to make three wreaths (Fig. 134). This
favourite form was used for the tree at the Festival of Spring on
May Day, and artificial fruits were hung on the crowns as an
attraction to the dancers (Fig. 135).
The arbour is of very great importance in the gardens of the
Middle Ages. It was known to the ancients in the form of a pergola
or trellis-work, covered with green, possibly supported on posts,
and very attractive, but in gardens of that early date not so
necessary; for the portico gave a convenient shelter against sun or
bad weather in the larger gardens, and in the smaller ones at
private houses there were generally buildings all round. But now FIG. i34. garden with
the garden was mostly a thing set apart, and needed a real shelter clipped trees and
in the open: roses and honeysuckle covered every sort of arbour
and kept off the hot sun (Fig. 136); and a very slightly-built summer-house was enough
in which to hide with a faithful lover. Also the walk leading to these bowers could be used
to stroll about in (Fig. 139). A rose-tree was often grown "so broad and thick that it can
give its shade to twelve knights together; wound round evenly and bent into a hoop, yet
taller than a man; under the same thorny bush there is golden mullein and lovely grass/"
#giawr Mn&± -:*s*kt