MEDLEVAL GARDENS 



shower. But where the garden was without the 

 fortifications, but yet within the castle enclosure, 

 as was always the arrangement if possible, oppor- 

 tunity was afforded for wooded dell and flowery 

 slope, as well as for the orchard with its special 

 patch for herb-growing. 



The herb-plot was one of the most important 

 items in a medieval garden ; for here were 

 grown not only herbs and roots for healing, but 

 also sweet-scented mint and thyme for mingling 

 with the rushes strewn on the floors. Some- 

 times the rushes themselves were fragrant, and 

 such, lemon-scented when crushed, may even 

 to-day be found in the neighbourhood of Oxford, 

 probably growing in the very place which at 

 one time supplied many a college hall with its 

 carpet of fresh green. 



In the larger gardens might also be found 

 labyrinths and aviaries, with bright-plumaged 

 birds from the East. Here, too, were often 

 enclosures for wild beasts, much prized by the 

 lord of the castle, to whom they may have been 

 proffered as peace-offerings, or as friendly gifts 

 from some neighbouring lord. Strange beasts 

 were royal gifts ; for kings, we read, made such 

 offerings to each other. Even as early as the 

 ninth century, Haroun al Raschid sent an 

 elephant to Charlemagne. It was brought to 

 Aix-la-Chapelle by Isaac the Jew, and survived 

 its long walk seven years, and it would be 

 interesting to know by what route it journeyed 

 thither in those days. These private zoological 



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