What are you reading ?
What books are in your reference library?
any must have books ?

...share




I have only had this around a week and have been too busy to give it a good look



This book I would put on the Must have category
Herbal Health by Rosemary Gladstar

I second anything by Rosemary Gladstar. I am slowly winnowing out books I don't often reference (I find myself doing internet searches more and more), but have kept the following herb resources:

Encyclopaedia of Herbs, Nico Vermeulen (1998) - the most complete reference I have, and most often used. Each entry includes a photograph, plant origin, name derivation, care, and how it can be used. Does not provide specific recipes.

Herbs The Healing Nature, Power Publishing (2003) - addresses 87 medicinal herbs, includes a photograph and line drawings, preparation and dosage, side effects, and history. More detailed than the above reference, but addresses fewer plants.

The Complete Book of Herbs, Lesley Brenmess (1988) - in addition to an index which includes photographs, line drawings, and uses, this also has a section for themed gardens, herbal decorations, recipes and even a section on herbal papers and other trinkets. I take this book to a comfy chair for light reading more than straight on research.

The Rodale Herb Book (1974) - this was my first herb book and will likely stay in my library forever. Good solid information, often quoting Culpeper, Gerard, Parkinson, and other herbalists in their vernacular, e.g., Gerard states that a syrup of borage 'comforteth the heart, purgeth melancholy and quieteth the phrenticke and lunaticke person.'

I too have that Rodale Herb book . There use to be a book club and I ended up with a lot of the Rodale books.

I also reduced my books by about 50% a couple years ago , so much faster to look up info on the computer , If you can find good reliable information you can trust. On the other hand nothing is quite like a book and cup of tea on a cold snowy winter day.(dreaming of spring)

Four books on Herbs:
1.Easy Herb gardening is a small magazine type of book.
It has a nice compendium of 52 herbs at the back,
which gives info on growing and uses of each herb.
2.Herbal Tea Gardens by Marietta Marcin is focused on herbs used for teas.
3.Culinary Herbs for Short Seasons by Ernest Small is a good guide to herbs for the north.
4. Herbs and Edible Flowers by Lois Hole has recipes, and is sub titled as Gardening for the kitchen. Lois was an Alberta gardener so her ideas are for the north also.

The book on herbal tea garden looks very interesting
May just have to add that to my library.

It really is a good book.
It includes a section on teas for different health problems.
The heart care garden has a plan for a garden of plants useful for Heart problems.
The tea for heart problems is hawthorn berries (or leaves and flowers),
dried borage leaves, and rose petals.
In the back of the book there is a reference chart which lists, plant type, height, soil,
light, propagation and tea parts.
The main part of the book is a compendium on the herbs: descriptionof the herb,growing information and recipes for the teas or other brews such as lemon balm punch.

Although I do have and appreciate Rosemary Gladstar's "Herbal Recipes", my two very favorites for their detail and accuracy are "The Green Pharmacy" by Dr James A. Duke and "A Guide to the Medicinal Plants of the United States" by Arnold and Connie Krochmal. Wonder reads and references!!

Complete Guide to Safe Herbs...What everyone should know about herbal interactions and side effects...400 of drugs, supplements, and foods
by Chris D. Meletis, N.D. & The editors of Natural Health Magazine.

You guys are making me sad... my books have been in storage this summer. Can't wait to unpack them this fall.

But my favorite that I kept out to read & reread is more suited to this area but good herbal reference... Southern Herb Growing by Madeline Hill & Gwen Barclay.