Gardening: Plants and Gardens
Attempts to classify different types of plants may have occurred as far back as since pre-historic periods as shown in the data within the caves of Lascaux in Dordogne, France. These date back again to 18,000 B.C. We are able to only assume that man has always sought the data of plants and had a pastime in their cultivation, beyond the easy fascination with plants for food.
Hippocrates, the "father of medicine" taught in the fourth century B.C. of the value of some 400 plants and herbs - about 50 % of which remain in used today. Aristotle attemptedto catalogue the herbs known at the time and Theophrastus, a pupil of Aristotle, created something of inquiry into plants which was to influence botany for most centuries.
Classical Greek and Roman records show definite proof of this with early texts from the first century AD. Pedanius Dioscorides in Cilicia wrote De Materia Medica, a textbook for herbal medicine that was in use for 16 centuries. He was a military physician and soldier and wrote 5 volumes covering 600 plants used in medicine. Galen, court physician to Marcus Aurelius the Roman Emperor, was a Greek physician who practiced medicine in Rome in 2C A.D. For years and years he was respected as an authority on herbs.
At this time their main interest was in the medicinal value of plants that have been common in the wild, instead of concern about their deliberate cultivation .
From 529 A.D European medicinal gardens continued to be the province of the monasteries and the fine example of St Gall's garden in Switzerland so impressed Charlemagne that he ordered duplicates to be build across his Holy Roman Empire.
Such medieval gardens focussed upon healing herbs for the monks to utilize in treatment of the injuries sustained by soldiers in combat but attempts were designed to make the gardens ornamental. and also serviceable and this attitude continued in the designs of the walled gardens of castles and monasteries. خرید درختچه کامکوات had been by the exchange of plants between the monasteries and the dedication of the travelling monks that the extent of herb and plant cultivation was greatly increased. The movement of the troubadours was also instrumental in this.
Following the Crusades, a massive variety of new plants was introduced into Europe with botanists eager to grow new species but somewhat inhibited by superstitions and local legends linked to them. Planting, grafting and harvesting was strictly in accordance with astronomical indications of the moon along with other conditions.
It had been later that royalty, like the early kings of France and Italy took up the cause and became keen promoters of plants of all kinds. Some created landscaping on an impressive scale in the palace gardens, before ever botanical gardens for the general public were considered. Based on the specific interest they directed orchards such as for example those for propagating and cultivating oranges in protected orangeries, as they were called. Others such as Napoleon's Josephine introduced a huge selection of different roses, reported to have been the largest assortment of different species in Europe at that time.
In Britain many customs of the Druids survived the centuries to that have been added the familiar plants known to the Romans. It had been John of Gaddesden in 1314 who's first researched work "Rosa Medicicae" covered Greek, Arabic and Jewish medical writings plus contemporary observations and later in 15C more texts and treatises started appearing. This is followed by many illustrated works which began to include plants introduced from the Americas - from the New World, such as for example corn and potatoes.
John Gerard had their own Physic Garden as Curator of the Physic Garden of the faculty of Physicians. Thomas Johnson, apothecary, edited Gerard's Herball after his death and recorded a large number of species in England thereby commencing English botany. It was King Henry eighth who protected herbalists with a Charter in 1511. This signified the distinction between the barber surgeons and the apothecaries - a rift which continues even today between the herbalists and the physicians.
William Turner's "A FRESH Herball" was published 1551-1568. Nicholas Culpepper introduced the doctrine of signatures and astrological areas of herbalism 1652 and translated the physicians secret handbook "London Pharmacopoeia" which incensed the experts as it placed understanding of herbalism into the hands of the normal man.
By 1850 Herbs had begun to be commercially cultivated in England with the principal crops being peppermint, lavender, chamomile, aconite, belladonna, caraway, elecampane, liquorice, foxglove, lovage, angelica, hemlock, juniper, poppy, roses and marshmallow.
The people of England and Europe as well as settlers of the brand new World and the many colonies depended to a large extent upon the original custom of the cottage garden to supply them with additional foods and home cures in addition to beautiful flowers. The discoveries of strange new plants in the colonies was a continuing source of interest sufficient reason for assistance from the indigenous people gave them indications of their usefulness in healing and practical purposes. Eager gardeners placed great value, often commercial value, upon new specimens which became available for cultivation. It was largely by this enthusiasm that many new species were preserved and proliferated through the care of botanists in Europe.