Composed in the tumultuous decades following the reign of Charlemagne, the garden poem of Carolingian monk Walahfrid Strabo (c.809–849) has long charmed readers with its timeless descriptions of late-winter labors and its suggestions for the medicinal uses of various plants. This new translation, rendered in engaging metrical verse printed alongside the original Latin text, makes Walahfrid’s best known work fully accessible in English for scholars and casual readers alike. A concise introduction provides background and context, while extensive notes offer interpretation and commentary for those who wish to explore the poem further. A glimpse into the mind of a monk who was deeply entangled in the politics of his day, Walahfrid’s “Little Garden” may be tantalizingly brief, but as a trove of classical learning, Christian allegory, ninth-century plant lore, and charming personal observations, it overflows with the great human complexity of its era.

Table des matières :

Introduction: Little Garden, Deep Roots  

The World of Walahfrid Strabo

A Poet in His Garden  

A Legacy for Later Gardeners  

Hints, Implications, and Things Left Unsaid  

About the Translation  

Walking through Walahfrid’s Garden 

A Caution about Walahfrid’s Remedies

The Little Garden of Walahfrid Strabo  

i. On the Cultivation of Gardens  

ii. The Difficulty of Undertaking the Labor

iii. The Perseverance of the Gardener and the Fruits of His Labors  

iv. Sage 

v. Rue 

vi. Southernwood  

vii. Bottle Gourd  

viii. Melon  

ix. Wormwood  

x. Horehound

xi. Fennel 

xii. Iris 

xiii. Lovage  

xiv. Chervil  

xv. Lily 

xvi. Poppy 

xvii. Clary (and Costus)  

xviii. Mint  

xix. Pennyroyal  

xx. Celery 

xxi. Betony  

xxii. Agrimony 

xxiii. Tansy  

xxiv. Catmint  

xxv. Radish 

xxvi. Rose  

xxvii. The Commending of the Little Work  

Notes 

Further Reading

Bibliography 

Index 

Informations pratiques :

Jeff Sypeck, The Little Garden of Walahfrid Strabo. A Carolingian Poem in Verse Translation, Uppsala, Uppsala Books, 2026 ; 1 vol., 136 p. ISBN : 978-1-961361-56-0. Prix : USD 29,99.

Source : Uppsala Books