The Aromatherapy Garden: Growing Fragrant Plants for Happiness and Well-Being

Keville (Herbs for Health and Healing) reveals the “scents, secrets, and science” behind plant aromatherapy, persuading readers to grow flowers and shrubs for the stress-reducing smell as much as for sight and touch. She first describes the tradition of aromatherapy and then covers designing, cultivating, and harvesting plants for their scents. The last third of the book profiles fragrant plants, from angelica to yarrow. Keville weaves references to studies about healing and invigorating smells into short cultural histories of each plant, and includes a hodgepodge of facts and stats (nine pounds of tuberose buds equal one ounce of essential oil; moths smell honeysuckle a half-mile away). Most admirably, Keville rises to the challenge of describing each scent (“Basil’s spicy clove scent, with its hint of mint and pepper, makes it delightfully sweet, hot, and sharp all at the same time”). With such rich descriptions, readers will long for the actual aroma. Color photos. (Apr.)