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Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts: Includes 51 Culinary Herbs & Spices, 25 Recipes, and 18 Crafts (Creative Homeowner) Plant Profiles and Gardening How-To
Learn everything you need to know to start your own herb garden! Get all the indoor and outdoor gardening tips and advice you need to start growing herbs today! From soil preparation, lighting, how often to water, pests and disease prevention, important things to know when planting indoors verses outdoors, and more, expert gardener and author Kim Roman shares invaluable tips inside this book to help you produce high-yield quality herbs at home. Kim also shares quick reference charts and plant profiles for 36 of today's most popular herbs, in addition to a few of her favorite recipes where herbs are the star ingredient, including marinades, salad vinaigrettes, infused oils, delicious cocktails or mocktails, herbed and plain focaccia bread, teas, and more! You'll also learn how you can enhance your crafting projects by adding herbs! Discover the wide variety of uses for all the herbs you can grow right at home, with Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts !
- GenresHerbs
208 pages, Paperback
Published April 2, 2024
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 4, 2024
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts is a general guide for producing herbs for culinary and crafting uses written and curated by Kim Roman. Released out 2nd April 2024 by Fox Chapel, it's 208 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.
Herbaceous plants include a wide variety of species for different uses from the familiar chives, basic, thyme, and mint to the slightly more exotic and less well known shiso, ginger, and saffron. The author has included numerous plant profiles with cultural needs information, growing seasons, and temperature requirements. There is also good coverage and basic information about season extenders and greenhouses.
There are numerous attractive tutorial projects included like beautiful floral focaccia, herb flavored salts and sugars, lavender floral sachets, wreathes, scrubs, balms, and much more. Each tutorial is accompanied by a full ingredients list, helpful tips, and step by step instructions. The entire book is well photographed in color throughout.
The author/publisher have also included an abbreviated links and resources lists with vendors for plants and materials. Most are aimed at readers in North America, but many will ship outside the USA.
Four and a half stars. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, home use, and gift giving.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts is a general guide for producing herbs for culinary and crafting uses written and curated by Kim Roman. Released out 2nd April 2024 by Fox Chapel, it's 208 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.
Herbaceous plants include a wide variety of species for different uses from the familiar chives, basic, thyme, and mint to the slightly more exotic and less well known shiso, ginger, and saffron. The author has included numerous plant profiles with cultural needs information, growing seasons, and temperature requirements. There is also good coverage and basic information about season extenders and greenhouses.
There are numerous attractive tutorial projects included like beautiful floral focaccia, herb flavored salts and sugars, lavender floral sachets, wreathes, scrubs, balms, and much more. Each tutorial is accompanied by a full ingredients list, helpful tips, and step by step instructions. The entire book is well photographed in color throughout.
The author/publisher have also included an abbreviated links and resources lists with vendors for plants and materials. Most are aimed at readers in North America, but many will ship outside the USA.
Four and a half stars. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, home use, and gift giving.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
October 22, 2024
This is a nice in-depth guide to producing herbs and seeds from your own home and yard. There's lots of helpful tips for both the beginner and experienced gardener, and it's in a well organized format with beautiful photos scattered throughout the book.
One of the things I found most interesting is the recipes and list of helpful herbs for various healthful uses. So cool!
I recieved a complimentary e-book from the publisher through Netgalley to review. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.
One of the things I found most interesting is the recipes and list of helpful herbs for various healthful uses. So cool!
I recieved a complimentary e-book from the publisher through Netgalley to review. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.
January 30, 2025
I received an e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is an odd combo of elementary level info and just technical enough for you to be like "what is that" and "I don't own that" for the first few chapters.
For example: I don't know what blood meal is (I do know what bone meal is though and I am hoping blood meal isn't the equivalent), I don't have ready access to potash, or azomite, or mycorrhizal inoculant or kelp meal. Hell, I don't even know what two of those things are really. One's a mineral. I know that much already, thanks, and the other she says, in brackets, that it's to help protect against pathogens. Okay...but what is it and where would one find that?
Author doesn't always explain terms used either, for example: T5 light output. What does that mean? No idea, but we apparently want it for our plants.
If you live outside of the United States, none of the more climate geared info pertains to you. Temperatures are in Fahrenheit, with Celsius in brackets, and the author only covers things that direct you to United States weather info. Useless for anyone else who happens to live in North America but not in the U.S. So I took a star off for that, cause the info provided is absolutely useless to me. So is the soil test info where she tells you "you can find out about soil tests from your state's extension service." Thanks, but I don't live in a state and even if I did, some general direction of where that info might be might help?
Author isn't concerned with really explaining things or the alternatives a gardener can use. Buy a grow light, buy a soil test to figure what kind of soil you have, buy a Ph tester or kit (though she does give a general gloss over of what Ph is here). Buy a nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus testing kit.
The info, for the amount if it that is available (some pages are just solid text with not even a picture for reprieve), isn't actually all that helpful. In Canada, at least, you learn the general science of soil and climate and how it effects plants in general in elementary school. Or at least I did. Hell, I had a teacher who taught us how to compost using worms and had everyone grow a tomato plant, a sunflower plant, etc. I was in grade 4, I think.
The book started hitting it's stride around Chapter 5, when you actually start getting into structures for gardening and some methods. By chapter 7 I felt like I was finally getting some useful information, mostly because of the At-A-Glance chart for different types of herbs. That series of charts is what really redeemed this book! Plant Profiles was also a handy chapter, but note that it is very basic info of the chosen plants. BUT beautiful full colour pictures. From there on out, this book had useful and interesting information, redeeming it somewhat from the rough beginning.
My only little complaint with the layout, once we got past the first 4 chapters, was the recipe layout, really. Some pages had multiple recipes crammed onto their pages using a two column set up. My brain sometimes has "SQUIRREL!" moments when I try to read recipes in that format. It's not as bad as some full-fledged recipe books I've read, but I would have appreciated a little more separation. But once I zeroed in on what I was trying to read I found the recipes easy to follow and I, again, loved the beautiful pictures provided.
Not as educational or as useful as the last gardening book I previewed from NetGalley, but it was decent if you are just looking for some beginner info and some ideas to spark your creative juices a little.
This book is an odd combo of elementary level info and just technical enough for you to be like "what is that" and "I don't own that" for the first few chapters.
For example: I don't know what blood meal is (I do know what bone meal is though and I am hoping blood meal isn't the equivalent), I don't have ready access to potash, or azomite, or mycorrhizal inoculant or kelp meal. Hell, I don't even know what two of those things are really. One's a mineral. I know that much already, thanks, and the other she says, in brackets, that it's to help protect against pathogens. Okay...but what is it and where would one find that?
Author doesn't always explain terms used either, for example: T5 light output. What does that mean? No idea, but we apparently want it for our plants.
If you live outside of the United States, none of the more climate geared info pertains to you. Temperatures are in Fahrenheit, with Celsius in brackets, and the author only covers things that direct you to United States weather info. Useless for anyone else who happens to live in North America but not in the U.S. So I took a star off for that, cause the info provided is absolutely useless to me. So is the soil test info where she tells you "you can find out about soil tests from your state's extension service." Thanks, but I don't live in a state and even if I did, some general direction of where that info might be might help?
Author isn't concerned with really explaining things or the alternatives a gardener can use. Buy a grow light, buy a soil test to figure what kind of soil you have, buy a Ph tester or kit (though she does give a general gloss over of what Ph is here). Buy a nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus testing kit.
The info, for the amount if it that is available (some pages are just solid text with not even a picture for reprieve), isn't actually all that helpful. In Canada, at least, you learn the general science of soil and climate and how it effects plants in general in elementary school. Or at least I did. Hell, I had a teacher who taught us how to compost using worms and had everyone grow a tomato plant, a sunflower plant, etc. I was in grade 4, I think.
The book started hitting it's stride around Chapter 5, when you actually start getting into structures for gardening and some methods. By chapter 7 I felt like I was finally getting some useful information, mostly because of the At-A-Glance chart for different types of herbs. That series of charts is what really redeemed this book! Plant Profiles was also a handy chapter, but note that it is very basic info of the chosen plants. BUT beautiful full colour pictures. From there on out, this book had useful and interesting information, redeeming it somewhat from the rough beginning.
My only little complaint with the layout, once we got past the first 4 chapters, was the recipe layout, really. Some pages had multiple recipes crammed onto their pages using a two column set up. My brain sometimes has "SQUIRREL!" moments when I try to read recipes in that format. It's not as bad as some full-fledged recipe books I've read, but I would have appreciated a little more separation. But once I zeroed in on what I was trying to read I found the recipes easy to follow and I, again, loved the beautiful pictures provided.
Not as educational or as useful as the last gardening book I previewed from NetGalley, but it was decent if you are just looking for some beginner info and some ideas to spark your creative juices a little.
September 6, 2024
Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts by Kim Roman is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in herb gardening, particularly in the USA, though much of the information is universally applicable to home gardeners anywhere. The book offers practical guidance on everything from soil mixes to easy-to-follow charts, making it a valuable tool for both beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
What sets this book apart from other herb-growing guides is not only its wealth of information but also its focus on the many ways herbs can be used beyond the garden. From cooking to crafting, the book offers endless inspiration on how to incorporate herbs into everyday life.
One section I found particularly useful was the guide on collecting and storing herb seeds. This is a great way to save money and ensure a continuous supply of fresh herbs year after year. Roman also provides clear, step-by-step instructions, making the process accessible to gardeners at any level.
The book itself is beautifully presented. The layout is clean and easy to navigate, with plenty of high-quality photographs that complement the information. This makes it not only informative but also visually appealing—a pleasure to flip through as you plan your herb garden.
Chapter 14 was a highlight for me, as it dives into self-sufficiency and how to use homegrown herbs in a variety of creative ways. From making infused oils and herb sugars to dips and breads, the book offers practical recipes and tips. There's even a section on skincare, which I personally loved, as I enjoy making my own hair rinses. The book includes several DIY beauty recipes that are simple and effective, catering to those looking to explore the full range of herb uses.
Overall, there's truly something for everyone in this book. Whether you're just starting your herb-growing journey or have been gardening for years and are looking for new ways to use your herbs, Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts is a wonderful guide.
I highly recommend it to anyone passionate about growing and using herbs in their daily life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for providing me with an e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.
What sets this book apart from other herb-growing guides is not only its wealth of information but also its focus on the many ways herbs can be used beyond the garden. From cooking to crafting, the book offers endless inspiration on how to incorporate herbs into everyday life.
One section I found particularly useful was the guide on collecting and storing herb seeds. This is a great way to save money and ensure a continuous supply of fresh herbs year after year. Roman also provides clear, step-by-step instructions, making the process accessible to gardeners at any level.
The book itself is beautifully presented. The layout is clean and easy to navigate, with plenty of high-quality photographs that complement the information. This makes it not only informative but also visually appealing—a pleasure to flip through as you plan your herb garden.
Chapter 14 was a highlight for me, as it dives into self-sufficiency and how to use homegrown herbs in a variety of creative ways. From making infused oils and herb sugars to dips and breads, the book offers practical recipes and tips. There's even a section on skincare, which I personally loved, as I enjoy making my own hair rinses. The book includes several DIY beauty recipes that are simple and effective, catering to those looking to explore the full range of herb uses.
Overall, there's truly something for everyone in this book. Whether you're just starting your herb-growing journey or have been gardening for years and are looking for new ways to use your herbs, Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts is a wonderful guide.
I highly recommend it to anyone passionate about growing and using herbs in their daily life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for providing me with an e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 19, 2024
I’m going to get so much more use out of my herbs now.
I was a little surprised that a single book could cover so many topics without doing so too shallowly, or having uneven expertise, but this one pulls it off. Kim Roman is an expert gardener herself, and she brings in other expert voices throughout, allowing the book to cover:
- Growing herbs
- Preparing/preserving them
- Using them in cooking (with a great chart detailing the most common herbs used in cuisines around the world)
- Using them in teas, tisanes, cocktails, and mocktails
- Using them in crafts
- Using them in skin/hair/oral care products
- Herbalism preparation methods, like compresses and infusions
Readers get a solid overview of the basics in each section, as well as instructions for a number of projects or recipes. Importantly, they’re also given direction for digging deeper in an area that interests them.
I was especially impressed with the herbalism section, which is handled very responsibly. Since every person’s body is different, the author and her expert don’t present exact recipes, but they do define 43 different herbal actions (that is, the things herbs do for our bodies), provide introductions to the actions of 50 herbs, and explain 17 preparation methods in detail. As someone who is extremely intolerant of alcohol, I was thrilled to learn that there is an alternative to tinctures: glycerites, which use food-grade glycerin in place of alcohol. This is going to make a big difference to my ability to use the herbs I grow in a variety of ways.
I reviewed this book from a digital ARC provided by the publisher.
I was a little surprised that a single book could cover so many topics without doing so too shallowly, or having uneven expertise, but this one pulls it off. Kim Roman is an expert gardener herself, and she brings in other expert voices throughout, allowing the book to cover:
- Growing herbs
- Preparing/preserving them
- Using them in cooking (with a great chart detailing the most common herbs used in cuisines around the world)
- Using them in teas, tisanes, cocktails, and mocktails
- Using them in crafts
- Using them in skin/hair/oral care products
- Herbalism preparation methods, like compresses and infusions
Readers get a solid overview of the basics in each section, as well as instructions for a number of projects or recipes. Importantly, they’re also given direction for digging deeper in an area that interests them.
I was especially impressed with the herbalism section, which is handled very responsibly. Since every person’s body is different, the author and her expert don’t present exact recipes, but they do define 43 different herbal actions (that is, the things herbs do for our bodies), provide introductions to the actions of 50 herbs, and explain 17 preparation methods in detail. As someone who is extremely intolerant of alcohol, I was thrilled to learn that there is an alternative to tinctures: glycerites, which use food-grade glycerin in place of alcohol. This is going to make a big difference to my ability to use the herbs I grow in a variety of ways.
I reviewed this book from a digital ARC provided by the publisher.
April 12, 2024
This book is meant to strike a mid-level understanding of herbs, enough information for the beginner to learn that there are some herbs that are medicinal, some that are used for cooking. Information on growing herbs - some information for brand new gardeners and some more for more experienced gardeners, and then some special techniques. In ground gardening, raised beds, and container gardening inside and outside are all included. You might be amazed at all the ways you can grow herbs.
There is even a very handy table for growing herbs, flowers & vegetables, bulbs, corms & rhizomes with info and growing methods, soil requirements, necessary light, watering, temperature and special notes.
There are great photos of different types of plants, information on harvesting, commpon pests, and common diseases.
I think this is a great guide to growing all sorts of herbs, flowers, etc. and almost every one can learn something about their favorite herbs.
The section of growing from seed, propagation, how to save a rootbound plant, treating for pests, protecting your plants and harvesting/processing are useful to most types of gardening.
An extra treat in this book are the recipes for herbs in the kitchen (including info for beginning to expert cooks), decorating bread, cocktails, teas, personal care products, crafting, and wellness.
This book is chock full of information that can be useful to gardeners, cooks, crafters, and people interested in health and wellness. I think this is a book well worth your consideration.
There is even a very handy table for growing herbs, flowers & vegetables, bulbs, corms & rhizomes with info and growing methods, soil requirements, necessary light, watering, temperature and special notes.
There are great photos of different types of plants, information on harvesting, commpon pests, and common diseases.
I think this is a great guide to growing all sorts of herbs, flowers, etc. and almost every one can learn something about their favorite herbs.
The section of growing from seed, propagation, how to save a rootbound plant, treating for pests, protecting your plants and harvesting/processing are useful to most types of gardening.
An extra treat in this book are the recipes for herbs in the kitchen (including info for beginning to expert cooks), decorating bread, cocktails, teas, personal care products, crafting, and wellness.
This book is chock full of information that can be useful to gardeners, cooks, crafters, and people interested in health and wellness. I think this is a book well worth your consideration.
May 2, 2024
4.5/5.0⭐
In "A Comprehensive Guide to Herb Gardening," Kim Roman offers practical advice suitable for gardeners of all levels. Roman's coverage of microgreens is particularly noteworthy, providing valuable insights into this aspect of herb gardening. Her advice on optimizing growing environments with grow lights, towers, and greenhouses is beneficial for enhancing herb-growing setups.
As a gardener with over 15 years of experience in hydroponic and outdoor herb cultivation, I found Roman's book to be incredibly informative. One standout feature is the detailed breakdown of each herb's preferences, covering soil temperature, spacing, lighting, pests, and harvesting methods. Additionally, the book offers essential tips on seed collection and storage, crucial for sustaining herb gardens over time.
Beyond its informative content, "A Comprehensive Guide to Herb Gardening" provides a diverse range of herb-infused recipes, from marinades to vinaigrettes, infused oils, cocktails, focaccia bread, teas, bath products, and more. Overall, this guide is a valuable resource for both beginners and experienced gardeners, offering thorough coverage of herb gardening essentials alongside practical advice and delicious recipes.
Thank you to Fox Chapel Publishing, Creative Homeowner, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
In "A Comprehensive Guide to Herb Gardening," Kim Roman offers practical advice suitable for gardeners of all levels. Roman's coverage of microgreens is particularly noteworthy, providing valuable insights into this aspect of herb gardening. Her advice on optimizing growing environments with grow lights, towers, and greenhouses is beneficial for enhancing herb-growing setups.
As a gardener with over 15 years of experience in hydroponic and outdoor herb cultivation, I found Roman's book to be incredibly informative. One standout feature is the detailed breakdown of each herb's preferences, covering soil temperature, spacing, lighting, pests, and harvesting methods. Additionally, the book offers essential tips on seed collection and storage, crucial for sustaining herb gardens over time.
Beyond its informative content, "A Comprehensive Guide to Herb Gardening" provides a diverse range of herb-infused recipes, from marinades to vinaigrettes, infused oils, cocktails, focaccia bread, teas, bath products, and more. Overall, this guide is a valuable resource for both beginners and experienced gardeners, offering thorough coverage of herb gardening essentials alongside practical advice and delicious recipes.
Thank you to Fox Chapel Publishing, Creative Homeowner, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
May 19, 2024
Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts by Kim Roman is a thoughtfully-written book jam-packed with information on all-things herbs. The author explains the many benefits of growing spices and herbs and seeking your own "why". Mine are varied including health and wellness benefits, the enriching experience, preservation (I gardened many years in Zone 2a and now in 8b), learning techniques, crafting and cooking.
Though climates differ wildly, growing herbs in trenches, containers, raised beds, spirals or greenhouses is life changing. I like that hardiness zones, microclimates, extending the season, soil properties, planning and harvest are included. Not only that but there are helpful charts and information on specific herbs and their sun requirements, germination temperature, planting depth and pest control. I grow loads of herbs and forage for many in the wild and use pop-up drying racks to dry them (and mushrooms) outside.
Whether you are in the dreaming stage, a beginner or experienced gardener, you will learn something from this book. Inspiring photographs and recipes are helpfully tucked in.
My sincere thank you to Fox Chapel Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this informative book.
Though climates differ wildly, growing herbs in trenches, containers, raised beds, spirals or greenhouses is life changing. I like that hardiness zones, microclimates, extending the season, soil properties, planning and harvest are included. Not only that but there are helpful charts and information on specific herbs and their sun requirements, germination temperature, planting depth and pest control. I grow loads of herbs and forage for many in the wild and use pop-up drying racks to dry them (and mushrooms) outside.
Whether you are in the dreaming stage, a beginner or experienced gardener, you will learn something from this book. Inspiring photographs and recipes are helpfully tucked in.
My sincere thank you to Fox Chapel Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this informative book.
August 11, 2024
Learning to grow your own plants requires the courage to fail and a lot of trial and error. Often, you might wonder if these efforts are worth it, especially in the beginning when buying the final product from the grocery store seems so easy and economical, even for organic items. At the same time, witnessing a plant grow from seed to fruit can provide a unique sense of satisfaction. An endearing aspect of this process is having a well-researched, well-experimented guide, rather than relying on random videos and articles available online without any real references. Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts by Kim Roman is an excellent example of such a guide. From the start, it illustrates the long path of uncertainty one faces when deciding to grow herbs—or any plants, for that matter. Anyone who wants to start gardening should first ask, “What’s your why?”
After a humble but thought-provoking beginning, the book covers various topics, from basic terminology to how to use the harvest. It provides essential information for every step until the harvest and can definitely be a helpful resource if you get stuck at any level of growing your own herbs. One of the interesting sections discusses different outdoor methods exclusively for growing herbs. It explains how to plan the sowing of seeds and how to extend seasons to promote herb growth, which seems to be an important aspect in hindsight. Each plant profile discussed includes valuable information, especially in the introductory paragraphs. Th. The most saddening section of the book is ‘Spices That Belong in Your Pantry (but You Probably Won’t Grow)’, that too is discussed in much details with all the possible reasoning. At the end, some recipes and examples from health care books can definitely address “Your why.”
A good graphic designer and better photographs could elevate this book to the next level, but overall, it is truly a handbook for both beginners and experienced gardeners. I would give it four out of five stars.
After a humble but thought-provoking beginning, the book covers various topics, from basic terminology to how to use the harvest. It provides essential information for every step until the harvest and can definitely be a helpful resource if you get stuck at any level of growing your own herbs. One of the interesting sections discusses different outdoor methods exclusively for growing herbs. It explains how to plan the sowing of seeds and how to extend seasons to promote herb growth, which seems to be an important aspect in hindsight. Each plant profile discussed includes valuable information, especially in the introductory paragraphs. Th. The most saddening section of the book is ‘Spices That Belong in Your Pantry (but You Probably Won’t Grow)’, that too is discussed in much details with all the possible reasoning. At the end, some recipes and examples from health care books can definitely address “Your why.”
A good graphic designer and better photographs could elevate this book to the next level, but overall, it is truly a handbook for both beginners and experienced gardeners. I would give it four out of five stars.
May 21, 2024
📚𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆:
🌿 Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts is a must-have for anyone interested in starting their own herb garden. This comprehensive guide covers everything from soil preparation to pest control, and it profiles 51 herbs like chamomile, turmeric, and basil. With 25 recipes and 18 craft ideas, this book not only teaches you how to grow herbs but also how to use them in various ways, including cooking and wellness.
💭𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
This book is perfect for both beginners and more experienced gardeners. Kim Roman's instructions are clear and easy to follow. The quick reference charts and plant profiles are super handy, and I loved the variety of recipes included. The section on medicinal herbs by Michelle Guerrero Denison adds a nice touch. Overall, it's a fantastic resource that will help you grow and use your herbs effectively. 🌱
🌟 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹:
Highly recommend for anyone wanting to start or improve their herb garden. It's informative, engaging, and beautifully presented. Happy gardening! 🌸
🌿 Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts is a must-have for anyone interested in starting their own herb garden. This comprehensive guide covers everything from soil preparation to pest control, and it profiles 51 herbs like chamomile, turmeric, and basil. With 25 recipes and 18 craft ideas, this book not only teaches you how to grow herbs but also how to use them in various ways, including cooking and wellness.
💭𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
This book is perfect for both beginners and more experienced gardeners. Kim Roman's instructions are clear and easy to follow. The quick reference charts and plant profiles are super handy, and I loved the variety of recipes included. The section on medicinal herbs by Michelle Guerrero Denison adds a nice touch. Overall, it's a fantastic resource that will help you grow and use your herbs effectively. 🌱
🌟 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹:
Highly recommend for anyone wanting to start or improve their herb garden. It's informative, engaging, and beautifully presented. Happy gardening! 🌸
January 9, 2024
This would be a good book for an absolute beginner who’s looking to grow culinary herbs. It is definitely not a good fit for someone looking for herbalism information, which is my area of interest. I didn’t learn anything new and was frustrated by the lack of depth. It’s great if you just want to grow some herbs in your garden though, or want beginner level knowledge of things like what a tisane (tea) is or what lasagna gardening is. Lots of photos and great info for novices who just want to grow herbs like marjoram and cilantro and want an entry level course on herbs.
(Note to authors- please stop recommending peat moss in homemade soil recipes. It is disastrous to the environment and sustainable gardeners stopped using it 20 years ago.)
I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.
(Note to authors- please stop recommending peat moss in homemade soil recipes. It is disastrous to the environment and sustainable gardeners stopped using it 20 years ago.)
I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.
March 12, 2024
This book was a great reference for me. I knew next to nothing about herbs before jumping into this book. It gives tips on everything from picking what herbs you might what to use in recipes, for protection from pests, and for medical purposes. It also gave good tips on how to collect and store your harvest, whether it be seeds or herbs and vegetables. I truly enjoyed reading this and learning more.
The photos included help with identification of different plants and flowers. They also show how to build places for your plants and what to do to protect them from the weather.
The photos included help with identification of different plants and flowers. They also show how to build places for your plants and what to do to protect them from the weather.
August 7, 2024
This book is a good resource for beginners -- it includes lots of photos, reference charts and related info that makes it a helpful reference resource. I was looking for something to help me get started and not kill my recent herb purchases (because that's what usually happens)... still to be determined but I found this book helpful to get me started! It was actually a little more in-depth than I was expecting at times (ex: testing soil pH), but I appreciated it covering the basics for how herbs could also be used for wellness and even had some recipes and craft ideas.
July 5, 2024
A complete guide to growing herbs at home and utilising them for different things, this was a fun book to read, mainly because I enjoy gardening and have grown my produce at home. There were a lot of herbs I haven't attempted growing but this would be helpful to read again when I do get around to it.
July 14, 2024
Educational
Ms. Roman's instructional book on herbs is an interesting read. I found a few things I hadn't already known. I find it to be a great starting point for anyone interested in starting an herb garden with lots if information to get a great start.
I requested and received an ARC from NetGalley gratis and offer my own opinion in the same.
Ms. Roman's instructional book on herbs is an interesting read. I found a few things I hadn't already known. I find it to be a great starting point for anyone interested in starting an herb garden with lots if information to get a great start.
I requested and received an ARC from NetGalley gratis and offer my own opinion in the same.
October 6, 2024
Nice book! All about what you need to know to grow these herbs! Tells you coming invasive bugs, info on growing season too! Best of all is the recipes and crafts!
November 1, 2025
This book offers easy to follow instructions that can be useful to gardeners, crafters and cooks. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in growing and using herbs in their daily life.
January 7, 2025
As a novice in the world of herb gardening, I often doubted my "green thumb." However, "Growing Herbs for Health, Wellness, Cooking, and Crafts" is the perfect book for beginners like myself. Roman provides easy-to-follow instructions that are straightforward and approachable. She offers clear guidance and practical tips, which helped me realize what I've been doing wrong.
Roman doesn’t just stop at teaching you how to grow herbs; she also incorporated recipes, crafts, and various how-to's that show you what to do with the herbs you’ve grown. I was particularly delighted with the herb butter recipe. It’s incredibly simple, and I happened to have silicon heart molds on hand, which made the butter look as lovely as the illustrations in the book.
Recently, I purchased an oil/vinegar herb infuser but was clueless about how to use it. The book gave me clear instructions on creating herb-infused oils and vinegars, and it turned out to be much easier than I anticipated.
This book is an excellent starting point for those of us just starting our herb gardening adventures. It discusses a wide range of uses for the herbs, from creating your own salves, balms, and teas to making cocktails, mocktails, sachets, and skincare products, and I love a good DIY project. This was such a fun and informative book.
Thank you, Fox Chapel Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this lovely book for review.
Roman doesn’t just stop at teaching you how to grow herbs; she also incorporated recipes, crafts, and various how-to's that show you what to do with the herbs you’ve grown. I was particularly delighted with the herb butter recipe. It’s incredibly simple, and I happened to have silicon heart molds on hand, which made the butter look as lovely as the illustrations in the book.
Recently, I purchased an oil/vinegar herb infuser but was clueless about how to use it. The book gave me clear instructions on creating herb-infused oils and vinegars, and it turned out to be much easier than I anticipated.
This book is an excellent starting point for those of us just starting our herb gardening adventures. It discusses a wide range of uses for the herbs, from creating your own salves, balms, and teas to making cocktails, mocktails, sachets, and skincare products, and I love a good DIY project. This was such a fun and informative book.
Thank you, Fox Chapel Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this lovely book for review.
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