The Complete Herb Book
As vibrantly practical as it is visually stunning, McVicar’s encyclopedic guide to approximately 150 of the most common, and several obscure, herbs more than lives up to its succinctly understated name. Beginning with an alphabetically organized directory spotlighting each herb in profiles featuring luscious full-color photographs and helpful sidebars, McVicar then branches out into in-depth discussions sure to interest herb enthusiasts in their coverage of harvesting techniques, methods for producing various herbal products, and stunning design plans for themed gardens. The reigning doyenne of British herbal gardening, McVicar is equally at home authoritatively addressing basic cultural information required by North American gardeners, including site selection, maintenance, propagation techniques, and pest and disease management. She also provides essential background on the herbs’ medicinal and culinary uses, artfully blending history and lore with contemporary knowledge. Elegantly showcasing herbs’ myriad applications and benefits, this one-stop resource will benefit gardeners at any skill level eager to work with these multipurpose plants. --Carol Haggas