Garden Design Online

 Still trying to come down from last week's APLD conference in Cleveland, where we saw SO many fabulous gardens … and this little book certainly does the trick.

So many clients and homeowners want vegetable gardens today, and herbs are a major part of it. Author, editor and gardener Judy Lowe takes all the mystery out of herb growing in her new book Herbs! Creative Herb Garden Themes and Projects (Cool Springs Press, 2011).  While we've (probably) all seen books on herb gardening, I particularly liked the way this one is organized.  After a brief intro on herb growing in general, Lowe divides the book into chapters on different types of herb gardens:  the pizza herb garden, the fragrance and aromatherapy herb garden, the pickling herb garden, plus others for grilling, children, the culinary arts, and some with specific themes like the Shakespeare Herb Garden and a Biblical Herb Garden.

Each section includes a list of herbs appropriate for the subject and recipes, recipes, recipes.

The latter part of the book includes a descriptive page for each herb, with a photo and growing tips.  I was thrilled that Lowe mentions the invasive herbs, as I once planted lemon balm in my garden on a neighbor's recommendation and was pulling it out all over the place years later.  Unless you take Lowe's advice to plant it in a container, you'll never be rid of the stuff.

There are also lists of herb gardens to visit around the country, sources for seeds and plants, and, believe it or not — even an herb nutrition chart. I knew that parsley had a lot of vitamin A and that garlic is supposed to be very good for everyone, but you should see the attributes of cilantro, tarragon, and sage.

A perfect summer read.