Vegetable plants of the Middle Ages contain many recognizable root and leaf vegetables that are used for food even to this day. One large difference between gardens of the present and those of the medieval period is the vegetables that you would NOT have found in Europe back then. These included corn, potatoes, pole beans, peppers, pumpkin and tomatoes. The previous plants are all new world vegetables and were not introduced to Europe until after 1492. Some medieval vegetables would have been planted in gardens, while others were considered field crops. Some of the latter include peas, lentils, fava or horse beans, and turnip. Besides edible roots, leaves from many of these plants were also used as pottage greens in soups or stews.

Pottage was a basic staple of medieval life and closely resembles stews of today. To a pot or kettle, containing meat and water, would be added root vegetables and leafy greens. The leafy material or pottage was generally used to bulk up the meal, however many of the plants did contain useful vitamins and nutrients. Once the meal was finished, more water would be added with more leafy material in order to stretch what was left for the next several days. Pottage plants were found both in the garden and in the wild. Some of these plants included agrimony, betony, borage, chives, dandelion and violets.
 
 

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