Herbs in Bloom: A Guide to Growing Herbs as Ornamental Plants [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Jo Ann Gardner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2005

Now in paperback, Herbs in Bloom is a delightful A–Z selection of 80 favorite groups of flowering herbs. Full of detailed information on how to grow each herb from seed or cuttings, the book offers systematic advice on site selection, soils, transplanting, and other practical concerns. Over 700 herbs are included in all. In the author's words, "It is my aim to convince fellow gardeners that herbs also have beautiful flowers and can be used to advantage anywhere in the landscape."

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Bringing an authoritative voice to the literature of herb gardening, Gardner combines an enlightened design sensibility and contagious enthusiasm for the ornamental qualities of flowering herbs. Expect to find important cultural advice necessary to growing healthy blooming plants, along with fascinating plant lore, descriptions of beguiling plant combinations, and detailed propagation advice. Gardner highlights both the types of plants associated with a wild growing habit and the plants known for a more refined demeanor, presenting a wide range of herbs that opens up alluring landscaping possibilities. Still, Gardner merits admiration as a teacher by encouraging readers to pursue their own ideas and instincts. A comprehensive listing of 80 herbs encompasses hundreds of cultivars and a wealth of companion plants, with definitive plant portraits constituting a trusty resource. Appealing line drawings and color photographs illustrate the material. Alice Joyce --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"This is the perfect book for someone with a rustic summer house in northern New England where the garden mostly fends for itself."
—Carol Stocker, Boston Globe, February 20, 2005 (Boston Globe )

"Gardner combines interesting historical and cultural backgrounds with detailed information on how to grow the plants."
—John Van de Water, Newark Star-Ledger, February 1, 2000 (Newark Star-Ledger )

"In a friendly but straightforward manner Gardner details propagation methods, site and soil selection for her 80 favorite flowering herbs."
—Boston Globe, December 3, 1998 (Boston Globe )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 394 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press (January 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881926981
• ISBN-13: 978-0881926989
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,270,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Herbs for the Garden, October 4, 2000

By 

V.J. Billings - See all my reviews

This review is from: Herbs in Bloom: A Guide to Growing Herbs As Ornamental Plants (Hardcover)

With this book you will read and read again.  What better compliment can a book and its author receive? 

The emphasis here is on pizzazz for the garden. But, it is not fussy plants with difficult requirements, Ms. Gardner is suggesting, rather the uncomplicated perfection of blooming herbs. What could be easier than herbs? Plants that are disregarded as weeds by the unknowing, but prized by those who value their tenacious and giving nature. And, since Ms. Gardner gardens in Nova Scotia, a zone 4 climate, she is very familiar with the word difficult.

Indeed one of the aspects of this book that makes it valuable is her familiarity with colder zones. Another plus is that she is truly a gardener. How do we know? Because only a gardener would describe Catmint as smelling like Cinnamon. This book is full of personal revelations that come only from experience. Experience that we can benefit from by reading this book.

Eighty herbs are profiled for their value in beautifying the landscape or garden. There are many photos of her selections, including photos of more unusual herbs like Dittany. Also, while discussing Oregano, for example, she mentions numerous kinds, which brings the number of herbs discussed to around 700.

Herbs in Bloom: a simply perfect idea.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HERBS IN BLOOM a perfect complement to LIVING WITH HERBS, January 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Herbs in Bloom: A Guide to Growing Herbs As Ornamental Plants (Hardcover)

"The layout, illustrations and photographs are marvelous; the font and leading easy to read; the use of bluish-lavender for the boxed quotations and plant names not only attractive but easy on the eyes; the common name cross-reference a special boon. There are many flowers I would never have thought of as herbs, but the concise definition of herbs in your preface cleared up my previous misconceptions...HERBS IN BLOOM is a perfect complement to LIVING WITH HERBS."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for Southern Gardens...., June 29, 2005

By 

Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Herbs in Bloom: A Guide to Growing Herbs As Ornamental Plants (Hardcover)

In the May/June 2005 issue of THE AMERICAN GARDENER, Jo Ann Gardener wrote a rather good article about her favorite herbs for medicinal and culinary purposes. Reading her article and subsequently her book HERBS IN BLOOM I realized her medicinal knowledge was mostly gleaned from books, not hands on experience. The article includes the "cream" of what is found in the book, so I could have done without the book, but I am a book-addict, particularly a garden book addict, so I bought the book. I like the inventory she provides covering the herbs she has apparently grown in her own garden, but as she gardens in NY (and formerly New England), her ideas are of limited use for one who lives and gardens in the upper South, on an urban lot. She doesn't spend much time on "herbs in pots" which is the way I must grow many of my herbs, but she does have a nice section on Valerian, which I shall never again confuse with Centranthus. I wish I had known sooner rather than later that Valerian required moist conditions and sun. Unfortunately, I planted it where the sun shines all day, but where it grows relatively dry. So I discovered the hard way, that not all herbs like dry conditions, or moist shady ones for that matter. This is a nice, but slightly outdated book. Look for the works of Rosemary Gladstar and Deb Soule for more information about the medicinal properties of herbs.