The Art of herb growing is enjoying a renaissance in this country, as more and more people are rediscovering the sensory pleasures and tangible rewards of the ancient plants we call herbs. Growers in the American South, where herb gardening can be a sometimes frustrating experience, want to know more about selecting and tending plants in the hot, humid conditions of their region. The varietal lists and cultural information emanating from England or the northeastern United States do not work for the Southern grower. English lavender and French tarragon, for instance, often languish in warm, wet conditions, and instructions that dictate planting parsley in spring in full sun will result in dead plants by August in most Southern areas. It was more than thirty years ago that Madalene Hill and her late husband, Jim, established the Hilltop Herb Farm near Cleveland-a southeast Texas area with growing conditions much like those of most of the South. Their energy and skill, both in growing and cooking with herbs, attracted a strong following in a day when herbs were thought to be strange little plants revered only by a few.

Fresh herbs offer a healthy and delicious way to spice up any meal, but growing and cooking with these delectable plants are endeavors fraught with uncertainty. What herbs will grow year-round on my kitchen windowsill? What foods complement rosemary? Which part of a lemongrass plant has the best flavor? Can I really eat the geraniums growing in my flower bed? This indispensable guide from The Herb Society of America takes the guesswork out of using herbs in the garden and in the kitchen by providing detailed information for cultivating a wide variety of herbs, along with easy-to-follow recipes that will surely impress even the most discerning palate. Ranging from Alliums (onions, chives, and garlic) to Zingiber (ginger), the volume's first section provides horticultural information for each of the sixty-three herbs found in the National Herb Garden's Culinary Garden, including common and botanical names, family, place of origin, hardiness, and general light and soil requirements. Botanical sketches accompany many of the entries. Each entry also includes a short history of the herb, gardening basics, and suggestions for using the herb in your kitchen. Culinary herbs without Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Status are included in a separate section, with an explanation of their history and ornamental value. An informative introduction to this section compares several different definitions of the word herb, explains the advantages of fresh over dried herbs, describes the proper storage and use of spices, and suggests the best timing and methods for harvesting herbs. In the second part of the book, HSA members offer classic and creative recipes for more than two hundred dishes incorporating a variety of herbs. Learn how to use the aromatic and flavorful herbs in your garden to enhance stews and casseroles, create dips and pestos, and add a new dimension to your favorite liqueurs. Among the mouth-watering recipes featured are Lemon Basil Tea Bread, Chicken Linguine with Fennel and Tarragon, Five-Herb Pasta Salad, and Rosemary Fizz. The concluding section of the book contains a fascinating personal tour of the two-and-one-half-acre National Herb Garden, which lies in the heart of Washington, D.C., at the center of the United States National Arboretum, and of its various themed areas, including the Knot Garden, the Antique and Heritage Rose Garden, the Dye Garden, the Colonial Garden, the Native American Garden, the Beverage Garden, the Medicinal Garden, and many others. Complete plant lists accompany the description of each garden. Green thumbs and gourmets alike will find inspiration in these pages to look at herbs in new ways -- perhaps to see beyond their cupboards and into their own yards for ways to liven up their meals -- and will gain the knowledge and confidence to grow and use herbs effectively. More than a gardening book, more than a cookbook, The Herb Society of America's Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs will prove to be an indispensable companion for all herb lovers.

Enjoy a thriving, fragrant herb garden and use your harvest to bring beauty, flavor, and health to your everyday life. Tammi Hartung provides in-depth profiles of 101 popular herbs, including information on seed selection, planting, maintenance, harvesting, and drying. Hartung also shows you how to use your herbs in a variety of foods, home remedies, body care products, and crafts. Whether you’re a seasoned herbalist or planting your first garden, Homegrown Herbs will inspire you to get the most out of your herbs.

With over 35,000 copies sold, this book has become the essential guide for Texans who love to cultivate fresh herbs. This latest edition is a comprehensive, reader-friendly guide to growing more than 90 different herbs.

Elevate your backyard veggie patch into a work of sophisticated and stylish art. Kitchen Garden Revival guides you through every aspect of kitchen gardening, from design to harvesting—with expert advice from author Nicole Johnsey Burke, founder of Rooted Garden, one of the leading US culinary landscape companies, and Gardenary, an online kitchen gardening education and resource company. Participating in the grow-your-own movement is important to both reduce your food miles and control what makes it onto your family’s table. If you’ve hesitated to take part because installing and caring for a traditional vegetable garden doesn’t seem to suit your life or your sense of style, Kitchen Garden Revival is here to show you there’s a better, more beautiful way to grow food. Instead of row after row of cabbage and pepper plants plunked into a patch of dirt in the middle of the yard, kitchen gardens are attractive, highly tailored food gardens consisting of easy-to-maintain raised planting beds laid out in an organized geometric pattern. Offering both four seasons of ornamental interest and plenty of fresh, homegrown fruits, vegetables, and herbs, kitchen gardens are the way to grow your own food in a fashionable, modern, and practical way. Kitchen gardens were once popular features of the European and early American landscape, but they fell out of favor when our agrarian roots were displaced by industrialization. With this accessible and inspirational guide, Nicole aims to return the kitchen garden to its rightful place just outside of every backdoor. Learn the art of kitchen gardening as you discover: What characteristics all kitchen gardens have in common How to design and install gorgeous kitchen garden beds using metal, wood, or stone Why raised beds mean reduced maintenance What crops are best for your kitchen garden A planting, tending, and harvesting plan developed by a pro Season-by-season growing guides It's time to join the Kitchen Garden Revival and start growing your own delicious, organic food.

From unusual tropical spices to temperate herbs to native species, this guide covers plants that will succeed in every region with a focus on plants with culinary uses. *Detailed profiles of nearly 100 plants, ranging from unusual tropical species, to temperate herbs, to native species. *Range maps for each species and covers every region of the state. *Information on cultivation, harvest, and use of the plants. *Broad assortment of scent plants and describes growth habits and landscape uses and flowering characteristics for adding interest and color to the garden.

Indulge your senses with the lively flavors, vivid colors, and tantalizing aromas of fresh herbs. This comprehensive guide gives you creative, festive recipes as well as valuable gardening information. With Lucinda Hutson's expert advice you'll discover how to: Grow robust and flavorful herbs using organic gardening techniques. Harvest and store herbs. Prepare more than 150 delicious and innovative recipes. Create intensely flavored herb butters and savory vinegars. Garnish and flavor recipes with beautiful edible flowers. Grow and use exotic herbs from Mexico and Southeast Asia. Design menus for special occasions such as a fiesta for friends or a feast for two. Find the best sources, including websites, for buying plants, seeds, and gourmet products. Savor the Tuscan-inspired Panzanella, the continental Celebratory Niçoise Salad, or the Southwestern-spirited Pollo Picado. Lucinda's suggested recipe variations will turn you into a kitchen quick-change artist. Ideas for dazzling presentations make your meals as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. From rosemary and thyme to Mexican mint marigold and Thai basil, this is an essential guide for cooks and gardeners alike!