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The Scentual Garden: Exploring the World of Botanical Fragrance
Winner of an American Horticultural Society Book Award and a Garden Communicators International Gold Medal, The Scentual Garden is a complete illustrated survey of fragrance in the garden by “the guru of natural gardening” ( New York Times ), Ken Druse.
In this major work filled with knowledge about the aromas found in our floral world, Ken Druse arranges both familiar and unusual garden plants, shrubs, and trees into 12 categories, giving gardeners a vastly expanded palate of scents to explore and enjoy, and he also provides examples of garden designs that offer harmonious scentual delights.
Ellen Hoverkamp contributes her artful botanical images of flowers and plants discussed in the text. These are accompanied by Druse’s award-winning garden photographs to create a book that is as beautiful to look at as it is informative and evocative to read.
“A brilliant and fascinating journey into perhaps the most overlooked and under-appreciated dimension of plants. Ken’s well-researched information, experience and perfect examples, now has me appreciating plants, gardens, and designs in a fresh and stimulating way.” — Joe Lamp’l, Emmy Award–winning creator and host of Growing a Greener World
In this major work filled with knowledge about the aromas found in our floral world, Ken Druse arranges both familiar and unusual garden plants, shrubs, and trees into 12 categories, giving gardeners a vastly expanded palate of scents to explore and enjoy, and he also provides examples of garden designs that offer harmonious scentual delights.
Ellen Hoverkamp contributes her artful botanical images of flowers and plants discussed in the text. These are accompanied by Druse’s award-winning garden photographs to create a book that is as beautiful to look at as it is informative and evocative to read.
“A brilliant and fascinating journey into perhaps the most overlooked and under-appreciated dimension of plants. Ken’s well-researched information, experience and perfect examples, now has me appreciating plants, gardens, and designs in a fresh and stimulating way.” — Joe Lamp’l, Emmy Award–winning creator and host of Growing a Greener World
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2019
46 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 22, 2023
As a hardback or paperback, this book would be amazing as it's structured. But it's definitely one of those books whose format should have been significantly rethought for the digital editions; the sheer amount of images and the way in which they're structured alongside their captions make it jilted and difficult to read on a Kindle in a way that is never a problem in physical mediums (but never considered when making the physical to digital transition).
That aside, however, the book is fantastic. Or at least it is if you don't really walk into it expecting anything particularly spectacular from it.
Outside of a fairly large encyclopedia of plants with the author's opinions on scents and the like... By and large, the content really boils down to the simplistic ramblings of his brain. And those ramblings have no actual.... Point, really; the point is, of course, scent and our perception and naming of it in relation to plants. But the book tries to tackle too many topics in relation to that all at once, and doesn't actually pay any of them enough attention, or give any of them the proper depth they really deserve in the conversation. The result is, unfortunately, that there's no real sturdiness or depth of thought throughout the book on the topic it actually seeks to tackle.
That doesn't mean it's a bad book by any means, however. It's a great book, actually. For the sake of being the real first of its kind, it's an incredibly valuable book even, I think; there's a genuine pioneering foundation here, and what it contains is great information when viewed in that light (though I'd've died happy to see literally any sourcing of any of the claims made throughout it... Or even a bibliography of any strip at all. None is to be had, however, which is a shame). It's a great starting place that I hope other gardeners can build and expand upon in the future- and one that's sorely needed. There's also just a wealth of advice in general about appreciating the beauty of gardens with a sense that's so often used but rarely focused on with any depth or nuance. And I think that on its own is valuable as well.
It's just that if you're expecting a book with depth, and staunchness, and deep intellectual significance, that's not really what you'll find. Instead it comes across more as a meandering walk through... Well... A garden. And it actually works, here; it's a lovely light read considering the thickness of the "encyclopedia" that makes up the bulk of its middle. But ultimately not a world shattering treatise on plant scent.
That aside, however, the book is fantastic. Or at least it is if you don't really walk into it expecting anything particularly spectacular from it.
Outside of a fairly large encyclopedia of plants with the author's opinions on scents and the like... By and large, the content really boils down to the simplistic ramblings of his brain. And those ramblings have no actual.... Point, really; the point is, of course, scent and our perception and naming of it in relation to plants. But the book tries to tackle too many topics in relation to that all at once, and doesn't actually pay any of them enough attention, or give any of them the proper depth they really deserve in the conversation. The result is, unfortunately, that there's no real sturdiness or depth of thought throughout the book on the topic it actually seeks to tackle.
That doesn't mean it's a bad book by any means, however. It's a great book, actually. For the sake of being the real first of its kind, it's an incredibly valuable book even, I think; there's a genuine pioneering foundation here, and what it contains is great information when viewed in that light (though I'd've died happy to see literally any sourcing of any of the claims made throughout it... Or even a bibliography of any strip at all. None is to be had, however, which is a shame). It's a great starting place that I hope other gardeners can build and expand upon in the future- and one that's sorely needed. There's also just a wealth of advice in general about appreciating the beauty of gardens with a sense that's so often used but rarely focused on with any depth or nuance. And I think that on its own is valuable as well.
It's just that if you're expecting a book with depth, and staunchness, and deep intellectual significance, that's not really what you'll find. Instead it comes across more as a meandering walk through... Well... A garden. And it actually works, here; it's a lovely light read considering the thickness of the "encyclopedia" that makes up the bulk of its middle. But ultimately not a world shattering treatise on plant scent.
January 25, 2024
Exactly the sort of beautiful book I’ve come to expect from Ken Druse. This was such an enjoyable book, the photos are gorgeous as always. Some of the descriptions of scents were hilarious: plastic Barbie doll, child’s dress up perfume, hot garbage…
December 27, 2019
A book to own and cherish. I borrowed this title first from the library because I already have a superabundance of garden books but a shortage of shelf space. As a result, I have grown cautious about purchasing more. I will make an exception here as this book is one to have on hand at all times. It’s packed with useful information and is a visual delight, one that I will pick up again and again.
July 13, 2020
In the sense that it got me to smell all the flowers in my garden, this was a good book. I mainly bought it for the gorgeous photos, and that was great, but there wasn't a whole lot of valuable content.
January 28, 2021
Well written, informative and readable, but I found myself frustrated at the complete omission of any Mediterranean plants. There are many, many plants from the California chaparral and French maquis, for instance, that are incredibly fragrant.
November 20, 2021
This is a beautiful book! It's tough though, because reading someone else's description of scents and smells really only gets you so far. I did appreciate this book for getting me to think about scent as an element of building a garden, which is something that is often overlooked. For that alone, it's worthwhile to pick this book up and flip through it, and think about how different "scent families" are represented in your garden.
I also learned the word "indolic," which is apparently Ken Druse's favorite word.
Overall this feels a bit indulgent (it's clearly the author's passion), but it is a gorgeous book and it's worth flipping through.
I also learned the word "indolic," which is apparently Ken Druse's favorite word.
Overall this feels a bit indulgent (it's clearly the author's passion), but it is a gorgeous book and it's worth flipping through.
February 21, 2022
Good info. Stunning photos.
April 11, 2022
Exquisite.
March 29, 2024
An overall beautiful book, stunning photography. I learned so much about fragrance in plants. It’s very unique.
July 7, 2020
Love it. So interesting. I'm going to need to read again to take it all in.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews