The Medieval Flower Book

In our modern world the spiny-stemmed flowers intertwined leaves and delicate pink blossoms of the rubus fruticosus or common blackberry bramble might catch the eye of the casual observer or weekend gardener. Pleasant prolific and decorative plants like the blackberry are looked upon as sources for harvest landscape and visual pleasure. To the medieval and Renaissance artist however these botanicals were far more. Part of a richly symbolic visual language culled from the classical era their exquisite depiction in illuminated manuscripts of the age evoked fertility conjured bad dreams and even aligned itself with ancient wisdom. The popular and enduring appeal of flowers in medieval art and literature extended beyond simple botanical illustration; instead flowers helped to tell countless stories without words through potent symbolic imagery. The Medieval Flower Book artfully presents an alphabetical collection of over one hundred of the major flowers that appear in medieval manuscriptsgathered with fascinating explanatory texts on their history significance and usage. The sumptuous reproductions that accompany each entry offer a visual reference to the symbolism of botanicals in medieval manuscripts thats beyond breathtaking in its appeal. An introductory section explaining the ancient roots of practical horticultures expansion into cultural and spiritual realms not only places the volume in the context of gardening history but gives the general reader insight into our enduring interest in these remarkable herbals. Widely appealing to all of those interested in flowers and gardening the horticultural historian and the student of visual culture and medieval history The Medieval Flower Book is a fascinating and important primer on the beauty and language of florals. Extensively ranging through the canon of medieval botanicalsfrom acanthus and anemones to violets and wallflowersthis volume is the perfect gift for anyone interested in blossoms and blooms and should thrill the everyday gardener and art collector alike.