Herbs have been highly regarded by different cultures, both ancient and modern, as a valuable part of daily life. Appealing to all senses, they are prized for their range of scents, medicinal properties and remarkable seasoning qualities. The Ultimate Book of Herbs and Herb Gardening explains herbal history and how the western tradition of herb gardens began. Themed gardens, such as a medieval garden, a Shakespeare garden, and a potpourri herb garden, are described with planting plans and plant lists so you can create your own aesthetically pleasing style of herb garden.Invaluable information on how to choose your herbs to suit your location is given, with practical advice on laying out the garden and creating decorative features, with step-by-step sequences as well as useful gardening techniques. Harvesting, storing and the myriad uses of herbs are clearly explained with recipes for flavoured oils, vinegars, teas, poultices and other therapeutic concoctions.The botanical A-Z directory of herbs covers over 250 individually photographed herbs with plant descriptions. Essential information on habitat, cultivation and the parts of the herb used for their culinary, fragrant or medicinal properties is given.An inspirational, but practical book on herbs and herb gardening, this is the ultimate reference manual to growing, using and identifying herbs successfully.