Page 8 - Outdoor Living October 2024

LIFESTYLE

Healing Gardens:

The History of Plants in

Medicine and Wellness

ardens have always been more Similarly, the Greeks placed great faith in the power of nature.
than just spaces of beauty Hippocrates, widely regarded as the father of medicine, believed that
Gand tranquillity – they are nature held the key to health and healing. He advocated for cultivating
healing sanctuaries. Across cultures and medicinal gardens, where plants such as sage, thyme, and mint were
throughout history, plants have played a used to treat various ailments. For the Greeks, these gardens were not
vital role in healthcare and well-being. just for physical cures but were also spaces for contemplation and
From the medicinal herb gardens of philosophical thought. This holistic approach recognised the importance
ancient civilisations to the carefully of mental well-being in the healing process.
curated therapeutic gardens of modern
hospitals, the connection between nature During the Middle Ages, monastic gardens flourished across Europe,
and healing has remained steadfast. becoming centres of medical knowledge. Monks were the keepers
It’s a relationship that transcends time, of medicinal wisdom, cultivating herb gardens filled with rosemary,
as humanity continues to embrace the lavender, and chamomile to treat everything from digestive problems
restorative power of plants. to anxiety. These gardens were designed intentionally, and each plant
was selected for its healing properties. Monastic gardens became the
Ancient Healing Gardens foundation for much medieval medicine, merging spiritual care with
In the ancient world, gardens were physical health in spaces where the natural world was revered.
places of both healing and knowledge.
The Egyptians were pioneers in creating
healing gardens, filled with plants like aloe
and myrrh. These natural remedies were
used to treat wounds and infections, long
before modern medicine existed. Their
approach to medicine blended the spiritual
and the physical, with gardens serving as
sacred spaces where both body and soul
could be tended.

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