Product Description

Herbs sets a new standard of excellence for illustrated gardening books. Turid Forsyth's photographs and watercolor illustrations capture all the beauty and detail of these fascinating and practical plants. Patrick Lima's highly readable and entertaining text, chock-full of helpful advice and wry anecdotal observations, packs the maximum amount of information in the most accessible and enjoyable form.

Chapters are devoted to: Selecting and Growing Herbs, Soil, Perennial Kitchen Herbs, Thyme, Alliums, Herbs to Blend and Brew, Herbs for Fragrance, Growing Herbs Indoors, Cooking with Fresh Herbs and Gathering Wild Herbs. A chapter is devoted to herbs with seeds such as caraway, chives, coriander, cress, mustard and poppy and another to sages for seasoning and teas as well as for adding color to the flowerbed.

This volume, as beautiful as it is useful, combines the wisdom of two longtime gardeners to make Herbs, The Complete Gardener's Guide, a delightful and essential addition to any gardener's library.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1978562 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Leafy, flowering vines and kitchen herbs, seeds, pods, bulbs and all things herbal are showcased in this expansive study. Lima (The Art of Perennial Gardening) and Forsyth focus on the plants' physical characteristics rather than on cultivation: how they look, smell, feel and taste, what makes them thrive, which parts make the best food or medicine. With some basic but not comprehensive know-how ("This 3-foot North American herb [anise-hyssop] wants a place in the middle of a bed of tea herbs or perennials"), the book offers facts and aesthetic appreciation, and as such will primarily benefit cognoscenti. A handful of recipes and hundreds of photos enhance this charming book.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review
A high-quality, extremely readable and gorgeous treatise ... The photography by Turid Forsyth is nothing short of magnificent. -- Lynn C. Westney, E-Streams, Volume 5, No. 4 April 2002

A text to sit back and read enjoyably while comparing qualities of different herbs. -- American Herb Association Quarterly, Winter 2002

Essential... Lima is one of our great garden writers... a literate charming guide. -- Robert Howard, Hamilton Spectator 10/31/2004

Filled with delightful vignettes and essential advice ... lavishly illustrated. -- Paper Clips, September 2001

What a lovely, informative and motivating book this is. -- Robert Howard, The Hamilton Spectator, November 8, 2001

Review
A most attractive coffee-table book, this volume is at the same time an excellent reference resource for the herb gardener. (Koraljka Lockhart American Reference Book Annual 20020101)

The book is like a colorful, calming stroll through the realm of summer. (Maclean's 20011210)

Comprehensive guide ... lots of practical advice on growing herbs as well as suggestions for medicinal uses, recipes and decorations. (Globe and Mail 20011124)

A must read for cooks ... people interested in natural alternative medicines, craftspeople ... and, of course, gardeners. (Chesapeake Home 20020101)

What a lovely, informative and motivating book this is. (Robert Howard Hamilton Spectator 20011108)

Expansive study ... focus[es] on the plants' physical characteristics ... recipes and hundreds of photos enhance this charming book. (Wylie O'Sullivan Publishers Weekly 20011105)

Filled with delightful vignettes and essential advice ... lavishly illustrated. (Paper Clips 20010901)

Striking color photographs and detailed watercolors ... This is a delightful and very informative read. (Julie Coleman Lexington Herald-Leader 20020315)

Informational material in this book is exquisitely complemented by photos and illustrations ... as beautiful as it is useful. (Myrna Collins Appleton Post-Crescent 20020227)

Herbs provides you with the essential knowledge to build your herbal garden from the soil up ... fun read. (Haley Carpinelli Colorado Homes and Lifestyle Magazine 20020615)

It is ... herbs as they can be used to enhance the landscape that is most appealing about this book. (American Gardener 20020101)

A text to sit back and read enjoyably while comparing qualities of different herbs. (American Herb Association Quarterly 20041031)

Essential... Lima is one of our great garden writers... a literate charming guide. (Robert Howard Hamilton Spectator )

Herbs: The Complete Gardener's Guide by Ontario gardener Patrick Lima is big, beautiful and reasonably priced. More than 100 herbs are covered in chatty fashion, together with tales of Lima's personal herb-growing adventures. (Mary Fran McQuade Vaughan Today )

Customer Reviews

Beautiful & inspiring
"I want to plant a herb garden!"
That's how I felt after reading this book!

I learnt that herbs are beautiful, useful & so colorful, yet they are easy to grow.
The book shows many pictures so you know how the herbs look & how to arrange them. It also introduces other herbs that you may have forgotten about. The book chapters make it easy & helpful to look through, chapters such as: herbs that seed, salads, tea, silver colored herbs, flowering, scented etc.

At the end there are tips on planting, freezing & drying. Also a few herb recipes that look delicious, but I haven't tried them yet.
All in all a beautiful book to look at