Herb Gardening for Dummies?

by Suzanne DeJohn, Kathleen Fisher, The National Gardening Association, et al.

Book Overview

If you like to garden and haven't yet explored the wonderful world of herbs, you don't know what you're missing. For starters, herbs are both beautiful and practical. There's no prettier blue flower than borage's--celebrated since the fourteenth century as a mood elevator and "emboldener of the heart"--and no more fascinating foliage than santolina's, which is good for treating bites, skin problems, worms, and discouraging moths. As for freshness and variety, nothing on a supermarket spice shelf can compare to the savory delights you'll find in your own herb garden. And as an added bonus, as an herb gardener, you are the inheritor of a rich body of fascinating, often wacky folklore going back thousands of years--for instance, did you know that parsley grows better for a wicked gardener than for a virtuous one? Your guide to creating a garden that smells and tastes as good as it looks, Herb Gardening For Dummies fills you in on everything you need to know to: Understand the different types of herbs Landscape with herbs Cultivate herbs indoors and in containers Harvest and preserve your herbs Use herbs for cooking, potpourris, health, or teas Written by award-winning garden writer Kathleen Fisher with the support and participation of the experts at The National Gardening Association, Herb Gardening For Dummies Tells the story of herbs, including where they grow, how they were used in the past, and how they're used today Fills you in on what every herb gardener needs to know about soil and location Shows you, step by step, how to plan and design an herb garden of any size Features an A-to-Z Encyclopedia of Herbs that includes specific information on how to plant, grow, preserve and use sixty-five different herbs Is packed with tips and tricks on how to harvest herbs, propagate new plants, and prepare for next year Includes a gallery of stunning full-color photos of herbs in full bloom If you delight in dill, cherish chevril, or go bonkers for basil, Herb Gardening For Dummies is the book for you.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764552007
• ISBN13: 9780764552007
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 392 Pages
• Weight: 1.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Herb Gardening For Dummies

"Dummies" is bliss. Having recently purchased a home in the city that had a preexisting herb garden was a wonderful extra. What to do, however, if you know nothing about herbs (the 70's notwithstanding)and even less about gardening?Along comes Herb Gardening For Dummies. Once I learned that dirt under ones nails can actually be sexy (okay, it's the pasta sauce made with fresh crushed basil from your own garden that really scores)the rest is largely downhill...and surprisingly fun.Written with the same wit and easy to follow guidelines as other Dummy publications, my only complaint is that the book isn't smudgeproof. Dirt washes off hands and knees but isn't nearly as forgiving on the printed page.Fun, helpful read even if I don't decide to follow Oliver Douglas to Hooterville.