Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Historic flowers

MoobloonMoobloon Posts: 24
in The potting shed
Can anybody help me to identify existing flowers that were grown in the 15th and 16th century.
I am trying to identify these flowers with the aim of growing enough for a bouquet for my daughter to congratulate her starting her PhD in Medieval political history.
«1

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    There are a fair few listed in this article-
    http://www.myartteacher.com/flowers-medieval-manuscripts/

    Floral paintings of the time may give some ideas.

    A lovely thought for your daughter and I wish her every success

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited April 2018
    Borage, forgetmenots, snowdrops, iris, rosemary, fennel, foxglove, bettony, clary sage, hyssop, rue, peony, poppy, marigold, primrose, monkshood, pulmonaria, dianthus, wallflower.

    You'd be pretty safe with herbs and wild flowers.

    Look to Shakespeare, Chaucer, medieval poetry and monks' writings and Google for particular help.

  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Herbs are one of the long survivors - things like English lavender, rosemary, clary or hyssop. You don't say when you want the bouquet to be ready but hopefully at least one of those would be flowering at the right sort of time.
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • FritillaryFritillary Posts: 498
    Try herbs, lots have been used from Roman times. Rosemary, lavender,honey suckle etc. :)
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Snap  :)
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    This may be of help  http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/tag/gillyflower/



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    Tulips
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    I have a 13 page WORD document listing all the medieval plants along with their descriptions etc. If you PM me with your email address, I will send it on to you. I studied them as part of a project I did on Medieval Gardens. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I've a feeling tulips didn't appear in western Europe until  the 16C so post medieval ...

    ......................... yep

    "Despite their synonymity with the Netherlands and Dutch horticulture, tulips actually originated in the Middle East and only started appearing in western Europe after the end of the Medieval period. "
    https://theculturetrip.com/europe/the-netherlands/articles/a-brief-history-of-dutch-tulips/

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    The War of the Roses was 15th century so you could certainly consider a red rose and a white rose. 16th century was mainly Tudor dynasty - so, again, thinking of a Tudor rose.

    In mediaeval churches the symbol for the Virgin Mary was often a vase of lilies.

    The suggestions for herbs are good ones as these were commonly used in cooking and sweet scented ones in pomanders and nosegays. 
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Sign In or Register to comment.