Medieval garden tinsel?
Middle Ages Crisis: The Medieval Garden
Paris Kiosque - December 2000 / January 2001 - Volume 7, Number 12
Copyright (c) 2000 Paul Jensi - Used with permission.
The small park stuck like a postage stamp between the Cluny Museum of the
Middle Ages and the Roman Thermal Baths stayed closed for months. The Square
de Cluny hid behind billboards detailing the park's conversion into a garden
resembling that of the time when knights slew dragons and swept damsels in
distress off their feet. Those of us who love Paris like a lady waited
impatiently for the day when the gardens would be unveiled. Well, the idea
looked good on parchment.
The first section stands as a monument to the architect's imagination. A
small circle bordered by benches is referred to as a "clearing"
and a tatty patch of grass is named the Forest of the Unicorn.
The sign explaining the appellation describes a mythical place
based on the Lady and the Unicorn tapestry series on display in the
neighboring museum, yet the only mystical creatures large enough for this
savage forest are catnaps. The adjoining Children's Clearing probably
gets its name from the absence of any real equipment for kids, thus
"clearing" the area of children.
Forest of the Unicorn.
Four tiny gardens make up the next section, beginning with Le Ménagier, or
Homemaker's Gardens. This patch of land grows the cabbage,
beans and winter cherry the above mentioned damsel needs now that her feet
have been firmly placed back on the ground and the only sweeping going on is
inside her house.
Le Ménagier
Le Jardin Céleste is a symbol dating back to the
15th century, when the Virgin Mary was often pictured in a paradisiacal
garden. This copy is a bit smaller and a hell of a lot easier to get to than
the other heaven, but nonetheless sprouts Violets to represent Mary's
humility, Roses to symbolize her love of mankind, Columbine to stand for
peace and Strawberries whose three leaves exemplify the trinity.
Speaking of virgins and heaven, the next plot is the Garden of Love (#6, see
photo). Compared to the previous patch, this area epitomizes secular love and
the sensual quest for earthly paradise. Roses and carnations grow to excite
the sense, yet with all the privacy that they offer this part should be call
the Voyeurs' Garden.
Simple Medicines garden.
For another kind of sick-o, the final space is Simple Medicines.
Named after a book written by a 12th century physician, the garden
presents "simple medicines" meaning medicinal plants that can heal on their
own, without being combined with another weed. Growing here are "healing
plants" like marigold, mint and sage though after a walk through this
section, you'll be looking for hemlock or belladonna.
The Grand Finale of the tour is the Fountain of Silver Reeds, which looks
more like Fountain of Tinsel Left to Hang on the Grass. The good news is that
they didn't let the sculptor touch the Hôtel de Cluny just behind it. Do
yourself a favor and do what the park builders didn't: visit the museum and
experience history first hand.
In 1990 Paul quit his job in the United States and sold everything
he had in exchange for a one-way ticket to Europe and a train pass. Figuring
he would ride the rails until his money ran out, he voyaged through most
European capitals before marrying the first French girl he met and moving to
Paris in November of that year. Since then he published 123 articles and
posted 192 of his photographs during his one-year tenure as Chief English
writer at AOL France's Digital Paris Web site. His current goal of
walking on every street in the city has revealed not only the importance of
comfortable footwear but also the splendor of the city he calls his own
(despite copyright infringement laws). He is currently working on ``Paris
Misguided'', an unguide that will help him spread that love around.
He can be contacted via
PJensi@aol.com.
