West
Virginia Gardens - An Historical Vignette
The pioneers came to the
Kanawha Valley by wagon, two hundred years ago, bringing
with them just what they needed to survive and live off
the land. Once the settlers built their cabins they worked
to clear the land using a simple. shovel plow - a forked
sapling with one prong fitted with a piece of iron. Handles
were attached to the shovel plow with wooden pegs, grapevines,
or rawhide harnesses. This crude device was drawn repeatedly
across the clearing by a single horse. After clearing
and plowing, the land was then raked and planted.
We can count at least thirty-three different kinds of
exotic trees planted in the gardens of early Virginia
before 1750. Some traveled over as seedlings or plants
but most likely grew from seed. The apple and mulberry
trees came first because of their practical value - the
leaves of the mulberry were originally used in an early
failed attempt to raise silk. Among the cherished ornamentals
trees were the Norway maple, paper mulberry, cedar of
Lebanon, European beech, European ash, English holly,
and English walnut trees l are in this group of trees
and are still highly valued ornamentals.
In the days before drug stores, medicinal herbs were understandably
extremely popular. An English herbal guide published in
1653, lists 369 medicines were listed as being made from
herbs, incredibly including remedies for almost all the
diseases known at that time! Such popular herbs as anise,
basil, dill, coriander, caraway, parsley, chives, fennel,
garlic, mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme were all in use.
Bibliography
and Acknowledgments
Shown: Rhododendron ( Rhododendron
maximum )
