From Amazon
A decent starting place for those new to the fascinating world of herbs,
Herb Gardening for Dummies covers everything from garden design (traditional knots to a simple window box) to proper care, feeding, and usage of these versatile plants. The plant encyclopedia is cleverly written, informative, and gives ideas on how to use these little critters once you've harvested them--the authors are considerably more cautious than herbal guides written by professional naturopaths, which can be a good thing for newcomers to the field. Organic methods of pest control and fertilization are emphasized, as these plants are often grown for human consumption. Choosing the right plants for your growing conditions and interest level is important, and there's lots of helpful advice on these topics.
The downside to this book is its lack of pictures. There are lots of line drawings, but they tend to show particular stages of a process, rather than each step. Color photos are limited to one section, and since the photos are separate from the descriptions, they don't add much value to the book. With bullet-point lists, icons for highlighting categories like "ecofriendly" or "time-saving," and simple tables and charts, how-to photos aren't essential. For folks who learn best with straightforward reading, the presentation won't be an issue, but if pictorial aids are what you need for learning, look elsewhere. --Jill Lightner
Book Description
Herb Gardening For Dummies is your guide to growing a garden that smells and tastes as good as it looks. Whether you're a absolute herb-gardening novice or you're a seasoned veteran, this book helps you understand herbs and create a garden for year-round enjoyment...Uncover the nitty-gritty of how and where herbs grow, how they were used in the past, and how they are used today.Decide which herbs fare best in your climate -- and in your garden -- by looking at growing seasons, soil, and weather patterns.Design your herb garden to fit a theme, personal taste, or your surroundings.Dive into comprehensive descriptions of more than 65 herbs that explain what purpose each is used for and how they are grown.Take note of basic advice and special tricks that help you harvest your herbs, propagate new plants, and prepare your garden for the next season.Harvest your crop, preserve the herbs you've grown, and explore inventive uses for your dried herbs.Additional sections help you find essential garden equipment, information on caring for sick plants, and mail-order seed companies to bring your backyard or rooftop garden to life.
From the Publisher
Features color photos and an encyclopedia of herbs!
Discover how 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, and healthful teas!
From the Back Cover
Features color photos and an encyclopedia of herbs Your guide to a garden that smells and tastes as good as it looks Fresh herbs are the key to great cooking. But many herbs are also very attractive plants - and surprisingly easy to grow. This friendly guide gives you the tools you need to start your very own herb garden. So if you delight in dill, cherish chervil, or go bonkers for basil, this is the book for you.comRegister to win cool prizesBrowse exclusive articles and excerptsGet a free Dummies Daily e-mail newsletterChat with authors and preview other booksTalk to us, ask questions, get answers
About the Author
Karan Davis Cutler is an award-winning garde writer. Kathleen Fisher is the former editor of The American Gardener. The National Gardening Association has helped develop many For Dummies gardening books.
