Reader's Digest The Essential Book of Herbs: Gardening * Health * Cooking

This beautifully illustrated, complete guide to herbs unlocks the secrets of these wonder plants--from planting and harvesting to cooking and storing--including their health benefits. Now you can discover the joy and pleasure of growing your own herbs--for spicing up meals, creating crafts, treating ailments, and more. In this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated herbal guide you'll find information on their history, cultivation, propagation, and harvesting, along with a wealth of great ideas for using herbs everyday in a variety of ways.

This guide unravels the mysteries of these versatile plants, with savvy tips and simple formulas for maximizing their powers. Did you know?

- Mint can repel ants, flies, mice, and moths

- Garlic can seriously lower cholesterol

- Chives, fennel, tarragon, thyme, oregano, and winter savory are perennials

- Rosemary was used in the Middle Ages for its tranquilizing effects, and it is still a digestion aid