simple pleasures: jardin médicinal, a healing garden

“The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden.”

— Thomas More

each saturday i bring you two images, a photocentric journey of the simple things in life that bring me great pleasure {art, architecture + alleyways; fountains, flora + fauna; parks, people + plant-powered cafes}: i like to think of it as a peek into the inner workings of my mind {like being john malkovich only sans the low ceilings + exorbitant fee}. today we enter through the gates of "god's garden" in the city of troyes via seven simple images. 

the garden of medicinal plants: the hôtel dieu le comte was a renowned hospital from the 12th century to the 19th century. the medicinal garden, known as an herbularium, was created within the interior courtyard of hôtel dieu le comte in 2009: a robust healing plant garden typical of the physiognomy of the gardens of the middle ages. here lie 85 species + 1,200 medicinal plants distributed in 34 beds, planted in chestnut casings. throughout history, medicinal plants were considered magical because of their healing powers and were traditionally grown in monasteries, abbeys, hospitals + clinics. today, i still consider plants to be magical for their curative + preventative properties. 

take a walk through this remarkable garden, a magical mystery tour if you will:

i read that the garden is interactive, visitors can read about the plants and touch the plants; i don't know if they meant that one could use the garden as their personal buffet, but i did have a little taste of some of these magical herbs including the peppermint, rosemary, chamomile, lavender; i'm officially inspired to grow my own indoor herb garden, here i go: beyond the basil!