A concept dating from before the 12th century, the bower( from old English bur) was a delightful feature of the Medieval Hortus conclusus or enclosed garden. Often a shelter made of tree branches and twining vines, the bower was a way to immerse onself in nature, away from prying eyes and temporal distractions.
http://www.cityofwinchester.co.uk/parks/eleanor/eleanor.html
Willow elements needed to create your own bower can be purchased here: http://www.thewillowfarm.com/willow_landscape_achitecture.htm
Or construct your own personal Bower with bamboo poles and a summer climbing annual such as pole beans or a gourd vine!
Borage (Borago officinalis ) is a native to Syria. Perhaps a Crusader brought back seeds of this plant back with him to Europe. Certainly this was a fixture in Medieval gardens, with references made of it by Culpepper and Gerard: “Those of our time do use the flowers in sallads to exhilerate and make the mind glad. There be also many things made of these used everywhere for the comfort of the heart, for the driving away of sorrow and increasing the joy of the minde. The leaves and floures of Borage put into wine make men and women glad and merry and drive away all sadnesse, dulnesse and melancholy, as Dios corides and Pliny affirme. Syrup made of the floures of Borage comforteth the heart, purgeth melancholy and quieteth the phrenticke and lunaticke person”
You do not need to be a “Lunatike person” to experience these desirable effects. An infusion of the leaves in a tall glass is an ingredient of the traditional Pimm’s cup http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimm%27s_Cup
This prickly plant with its star shaped blue flowers certainly makes the bees merry, as they are quite attracted to it.
Reason enough to grow this in the garden. This is easy to grow from seed and can be purchased here: http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/herbs/borage.html
