A Modern Herbal

by Alys Fowler

Pre-order this charming, modern miscellany of herbs - for gardeners, cooks and armchair botanists alike.

Lovingly collated by horticultural expert and Guardian columnist Alys Fowler, this charming miscellany celebrates everything there is to know about herbs and their significance in our gardens, kitchens, medicine cupboards and daily lives.

With her unparalleled horticultural experience, Alys explores the abundance of uses of these incredible plants and writes beautifully about how herbs have become entwined in our lives past and present. Designed to inform, entertain and delight, this book offers a fusion of botanical, practical, cultural and historical information, accompanied by beautiful line illustrations, and will be a welcome and well-thumbed addition to every potting shed, kitchen shelf and bedside table.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening, Plants

304 pages, Hardcover

First published July 11, 2019

About the author

Alys Fowler trained at the Horticultural Society, the New York Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew. After finishing her training, she worked as a journalist for the trade magazine, Horticulture Week, and then joined the Gardeners' World team as a horticultural researcher.
Alys is a gardener who loves food. She has an allotment and an urban back garden with two chickens, lots of flowers and plenty of vegetables. Her inspiration for urban gardening comes from her time volunteering in a community garden on the Lower East side in Manhattan, New York City. Much of the ethic, thrift and spirit she encountered there is found in her work today. She is author of several books and writes a weekly column on gardening for the Guardian.

Reviews

[Apuella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reference for finding basic information on the health benefits and medicinal applications of various plants, as well as methods of preparation. Presentation is great, and illustrations are beautiful, but not of great use for identification beyond giving a cursory idea of the plant in question

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting introduction followed by an A-Z of useful herbs listing uses, how to grow, and warnings. There is both an alphabetical index and index by ailment.

To try: camomile, lemon balm, field poppy.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting read on the medicinal uses of herbs. Lots of information and recipes, often involving teas and baths - what could be better? Time to stock up the garden 😀

[Lucy Caney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource book for any gardener; easily laid out in alphabetical order with a handsomely clean presentation, this is one of those books to gift to yourself and any other gardener you know.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would never have thought that I'd give 5 stars to a book about herbs, but this is really amazing. I've been raving about it to my fellow herb lovers and so many people are lining up to borrow it.

[ReadingSloph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A neat little book of different herbs and their uses.