Brother Cadfael, the enthusiastic gardener and herbalist created by Ellis Peters, was renowned for his great knowledge of plants, especially the exotic varieties he had brought back from his extensive travels to the Holy Land and elsewhere. The herb garden was his particular domain, and as the abbey's apothecary and healer he was often to be found tending the plants there, or brewing up potions in his workshop.
This beautifully illustrated book now re-creates Brother Cadfael's herbal kingdom. It begins by tracing the history of herbals and herb gardens, and places Cadfael's herb garden in the context of the monastic gardens at Shrewsbury. It describes Cadfael's work as a healer, one of his duties being to supply medicines for the infirmary, and traces a typical year in the life of this devoted herbalist. The A-Z section of the book lists all the herbs and plants mentioned in The Brother Cadfael Chronicles, and explains their various uses in medieval times - before the days of modern antibiotics, medicines, and flavorings, herbs and herbal remedies were an essential part of the medieval world. Most could be found in Cadfaels' beloved herb garden, or in the surrounding fields and hedgerows, faithfully evoked in full color in this unique and informative book.