From visit in Bergianska trädgården in June 2016.
The Bergius botanic garden in Stockholm has very knowledgeable and passionate staff, who regularly organize topical guided tours in the garden. These days, those tours have all been postponed, so I choose to reminisce, while waiting for organized non-virtual edification to start up again. Some years ago, a couple of days before Midsummer, I went to a tour of the herb garden titled “Magical Midsummer”. It was a wonderful way to get a history lesson, walking around in the garden and hearing about the powers people at different times have thought certain plants possess. Particularly fitting was to have this tour on the day of the summer solstice, because traditionally people believed that Midsummer was a particularly magical time when the potency of these plants was at its highest. And there is something to that, as the botanist and gardener holding the tour explained. Midsummer is usually the peak of flowering season for most herbs, meaning that the active substances in them are at their strongest.
The text was posted on Instagram in July 2020 & on the blog in November 2020.
[Garden thyme / Kryddtimjan (S) / Thymus vulgaris] Many herbs came to Sweden through monks from the European continent, and were first grown in monastery gardens, before spreading to the general public. So is the case with thyme, originally coming from the Mediterranean. Thyme was believed to give strength and courage, for example when using it to spice wine or putting in poultices. Young women would stitch a branch of thyme into a scarf and give to their loved one before he started his journey to Jerusalem during the crusades. It was also the herb of fertility goddesses, like Aphrodite, Freya or Virgin Mary, and having it in the bed when giving birth would protect both mother and child from any evil. It is antiseptic and good against colds, but can be harmful to fetuses and shouldn’t be consumed when pregnant.
[Lemon balm / Citronmeliss (S) / Melissa officinalis] Lemon balm was believed to protect against illnesses and to keep your body healthy in general. It was also seen as a love herb – if wine was spiced with lemon balm and then given to your loved one, it would evoke love in them. It has a calming, relaxing effect.
[Henbane / Bolmört (S) / Hyoscyamus niger] Henbane was a witch plant and used during medieval times to poison enemies. It was believed to be used in flying salve that witches put on their brooms before flying to dance with the devil. In small doses, it could also be given to hens, turning them drowsy and quiet, making it possible to steal them without being noticed (which is where the English name comes from). It is a hallucinogen and poisonous.
[Norwegian angelica / Fjällkvanne (S) / Angelica archangelica] The story tells that during the Black Plague in medieval Europe, a monk in a Swedish monastery had a dream. In this dream, an archangel came to him and said that the Norwegian angelica wards off all evil, and that he should use it to cure the plague. It is one of the few medicinal plants that originates from Scandinavia and was exported to continental Europe, mainly during the Middle Ages when the dried and pulverized roots of the angelica were believed to cure the plague. It was also believed to protect against other, more supernatural evils. It grows wild in many parts of Scandinavia, and is still used to flavor some foods and alcoholic drinks.
[Common sage / Kryddsalvia (S) / Salvia officinalis] In the past, sage was believed to be one of the most potent herbs. It was dried and put into small bags that could be hung over the bed or put into the mattress, or turned into incense, and it would protect you and your home from bad spirits. It is good against colds, but just as with thyme, it should be avoided by pregnant women.
[Chamomile / Kamomill (S) / Matricaria chamomilla] Chamomile was believed to be a heal-all herb. In ancient Egypt, it was dedicated to the sun. It was brought to Sweden, like many other herbs, by monks during the Middle Ages, but is now growing wild in meadows all over the southern half of the country. It was seen as a woman’s herb, believed to be good for mothers. It can relieve pain, is anti-convulsant and calming, and is good to drink in tea.
[Lovage / Libbsticka (S) / Levisticum officinale] Lovage was believed to be an aphrodisiac, and was also planted around the house to protect against witches, rats and mice. To this day, it is still used in cooking for its taste-enhancing capacity. For example, it is one of the ingredients in many brands of dried broth cubes.
[Elder / Fläder (S) / Sambucus nigra] Elder was Freya’s (Nordic tradition) and Holda’s (Germanic tradition) plant, and it was the protective tree of households and women’s crafts. It guarded against witches and other evil magic, and was often planted around the house for protection – although the potency of the tree became strongest if it was allowed to self-germinate. However, one should be careful, because killing the protective elder of a house could lead to a family member dying, and even when harvesting flowers or berries one had to offer something to the spirit of the tree in return. In addition to protecting the family of a house, it also protected the animals, and the leaves could be put under the saddle of a horse to scare off harmful insects. Elder flowers and berries can be made into juice (delicious!!), and tea made from the berries can also help when you have a cold by increasing perspiration and urination.
Katja Malmborg 