Herbs have been cultivated and used in cooking for centuries, but the cook's herb garden of the 21st century is a far cry from the formal and ornamental gardens of the past.
Most gardeners today don't have the space for a dedicated herb garden, and even if they do, not all herbs thrive in the same conditions. Many are attractive plants worthy of a place in an ornamental border. Others demand intensive care and require special attention normally reserved for tomatoes or peppers.
For some, close proximity to the kitchen door or the hose is the main consideration. Taking a fresh approach and treating your whole garden as a place for herbs allows you to provide the best possible conditions for each type, and that means the best possible quality for the kitchen.
'The Cook's Herb Garden' shows how to achieve an exciting and varied, year-round supply of herbs. From the familiar, such as parsley and basil, to the unusual, such as perilla and Vietnamese mint, information is given on the history, cultivation, harvesting and kitchen uses of a marvellous array of over 30 herbs. Numerous tempting recipes will inspire cooks to experiment with herbs in mouth-watering ways.
Illustrated with watercolour paintings and colour photographs, 'The Cooks' Herb Garden' takes a fresh look at a favourite subject for the 21st century.