AROMATHERAPY GARDEN - Tapa dura

Scented gardens date back to time immemorial. Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon all had them. Medieval France and monasteries full of aromatic herbs and medicinal plants are well known and form the basis of many of today's modern gardens. Their popularity has been perpetuated through the ages to the current renaissance today. Acclaimed aromatherapist Julia Lawless, together with the award-winning photographer Clay Perry, has produced a lavish book on the subject of these wonderful gardens, starting with a fascinating history of their inception, illustrated with old prints and tapestries chronicling their early integration into society. She covers herbs for health and cooking together with those for scent and aromatherapy, giving brief historical origins together with plant profiles and recipes for each group. The inclusion of still room recipes for potpourris, eau-de-colognes and essential oils offers a wide range of ideas, ideal for special gifts. The A-Z list of over 50 plants gives an overview of this wonderful collection of plants, giving cultivation advice together with their uses to entice the reader to grow their own. Planting ideas are offered from knot gardens to container planting and ideas for focal points and features are suggested to complement the design and create a cohesive, fragrant picture. The stunning photographs, knowledgeable writing and overall presentation make this a valuable addition to any gardeners bookshelf as well as that of an aromatherapist, for everyone is in search of escape from the hectic way of life that we now live and the beneficial scents of a garden on a summer's evening is one way of finding sanctuary.

This work promotes the aromatherapy garden as a means to health, well-being and pleasure. Beginning with the ancient vision of the aromatic garden as an "earthly" paradise, it contemplates the roles (medicinal, therapeutic and aesthetic) that scented plants have played throughout history. The featured gardens, including the author's own Gloucestershire garden and the Chelsea Physic Garden, provide an inspiration and examples of the benefits that aromatic gardens afford. Practical advice on how to build a garden around scent helps the reader to achieve the reality. The "plant profiles" covering 51 essential plants, guide the reader through the practicalities of cultivation, gardening, different varieties and uses. This title aims to help the reader to plan and plant their own aromatic sanctuary (whether it is a fragrant border, a hanging basket or a formal rose garden) - as well as recipes and projects (from aromatherapy flower water to bath bags and fragrant vinegars) which demonstrate how to use the herbs and aromatic plants that you grow to enhance your home, health and cooking.