14 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



most romantic spot in the precincts of the feudal 

 castle and the baronial manor-house. 



We do not have to depend entirely upon the 

 trouveres and poets for a knowledge of Medieval 

 flowers. A manuscript of the Fifteenth Century 

 (British Museum) contains a list of plants consid- 

 ered necessary for a garden. Here it is: violets, 

 mallows, dandelions, mint, sage, parsley, golds, 1 

 marjoram, fennel, caraway, red nettle, daisy, 

 thyme, columbine, basil, rosemary, gyllofre, 2 rue, 

 chives, endive, red rose, poppy, cowslips of Jerusa- 

 lem, saffron, lilies, and Roman peony. 



Herbs and flowers were classed together. Many 

 were valued for culinary purposes and for medicinal 

 purposes. The ladies of the castle and manor-house 

 were learned in cookery and in the preparation of 

 "simples" ; and they guarded, tended, and gathered 

 the herbs with perhaps even more care than they 

 gave to the flowers. Medieval pictures of ladies, in 

 tall peaked head dresses, fluttering veils, and grace- 

 ful, flowing robes, gathering herbs in their gardens, 

 are abundant in the old illustrated manuscripts. 



1 Marigolds. 

 a Gilliflower. 



