The pocket guide to herbs - Anna Kruger

Herbs are defined as plants of which the leaves, or stem and leaves, are used for food or medicine, or in some way for their scent or flavour. This embraces a wide range of plants, from "food" plants found in all herbals, such as garlic, mustard, and rose, to herbal trees such as sandalwood, pine, and eucalyptus.;"The Pocket Guide to Herbs" is a comprehensive field guide to all these herbs and their uses, divided into five sections. Part one is an introduction to the subject, covering the history of herbs from ancient civilizations up to their present renaissance as a result of increasing health and environmental awareness, together with instructions on practical aspects, such as their location, and how to grow, harvest and dry them. Parts two to four feature the use of herbs in the home, for health and beauty, and for cooking and nutrition, all including recipes.;But the major part of the guide consists of an A-Z glossary of herbs, with data supplied for each variety on description, identification, habitat, origin, properties, history, tradition and folklore, uses, and practical applications.;Growing herbs in the garden or indoors, identifying them in the wild, collecting them or buying them fresh, and using them in the home is a positive and rewarding way of engaging more closely with nature. Cross referenced throughout and illustrated in full colour, this book is a guide to this remarkable natural world.