How to Make a Benedictine Garden

Some Benedictine gardens were as formal as this one; however, smaller ones existed as well.

St. Benedict (480-547) is considered the founder of Western Christian monasticism. He believed in work as a necessity for mankind and as a way Christians could connect with their Creator. His gardening concepts were one means toward that. Listen to the music of Hildegard von Bingen, a Medieval Benedictine nun, and you will likely be inspired to understand the effects of a spiritual life on all it touches, including the garden. Though ancient gardens were modest, more recent Benedictine abbeys and monasteries typically feature large, exceptionally formal designs. You can create one on a small or large scale for your home.

Things You'll Need

• Landscape plan
• Landscaping materials and equipment
• Watering scheme
• Plants
• Statuary
• Rocks, bricks and stones
• Ornaments

Instructions

1. Study charts, drawings, blueprints and landscape books that feature large, formal gardens. If you have a small space and simply want to replicate the beauty of a Benedictine garden, scale down the various designs you find but add key elements.

2. Analyze the existing lay of the land you want to landscape, making notes and taking photographs for future reference. If there are large trees that will remain, let them serve as backdrops to the garden area within their framework. Note where and how the sun moves across the land -- ideally over a long period of time. Draft a rough plan by plotting existing buildings, trees, walkways and so forth, then sketch in what other features to add.

3. Add the features that are common to a Benedictine garden, such as large herb beds, roses, geometrically-aligned beds, walkways and a vegetable sub-garden. Many designs also feature a reflecting pool, pond or other water feature, such as small "holy water" basins, even on walls.

4. Mark on the plan where special statuary will be set, such as a statue of St. Benedict or the Virgin Mary. Add a bench or prayer station and plants around the statue(s) to invite prayer and meditation.

5. Add focus trees, hedges, perennials and walkways to the plan. If you're only doing a small-scale, Benedictine-type herb garden, draw beds in geometrical designs, such as two opposing triangles for mint and two for oregano, combined within a large square -- fill the spaces with gradually decreasing herbs by size. Spirals and circles also work well in these gardens to add harmony.

6. Rework your plan until you are satisfied with the "aerial view" of the landscape. Alter it as needed. Then purchase all of the landscaping materials and equipment. Hire or gather as many workers as possible to begin framing, digging and structuring the various elements: beds, watering systems and planting. This can take a substantial amount of time -- even a year or more -- to execute a larger garden, but smaller ones can be done within months if you have enough help.

7. Add a labyrinth to a very large garden for contemplative purposes. Labyrinths appear in many religious and spiritual gardens still today but require precision mapping. Some people outline them with a low border of plants, while others simply use painted stones or brick.

8. Use visually-appealing ornamentation that works with the overall theme. Hidden or secluded elements of interest are always lovely for garden visitors to chance upon, such as an alcove behind vines or a grotto to honor a saint. Use balance, harmony and subtlety in your design.

References

• St. Benedict's Monastery: Life of St. Benedict
• New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Benedict of Nursia
• Hildegard of Bingen
• Design You Trust: Revaluation of Gardens by the Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec Poland
• SAGA Travel: Croatia's Ancient Gardens -- Benedictine Monastery at Lockrum
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery: Benedict's Garden

Resources

• HildegardofBingen: Symphony of the Harmony of Heaven
• Gherkins and Tomatoes: The Random Herbalist -- Books About Monastic and Medieval Gardens
• Countryside2011: The Priory, Beech Hill, Berkshire
• Pilgrim'sPassage: Benedictine Abbey -- Labyrinth
• GardenVisit: Kloster Seligenstadt
• DestinationSaigon: Guests' Garden, Benedictine Monastery, Thu Duc