The title explains it all! HERBS: The visual guide to more than 700 herb species from around the world" by Lesley Bremness (DK: 1994) deserves to be on everyone's book shelf. Including those involved or interested in Aromatherapy. Why? Being that many essential oils are derived from plants normally used as herbs, the author does a nice job of adding such information to each botanical profile when called for. The pictures are also a splendid addition that will aid anyone who enjoys wildcrafting. Many wish to try their hand at home extraction of essential oils. Even a simple infused oil can turn deadly when the wrong botanical is used. Many fail to remember that some plants turn toxic when in essential oil form. Hence why this book is important in preventing a disaster. The photographs are large and clear. The small nature of this book and its glossy, laminated pages make it perfect as a field-guide. All DK books make the most of tables and their manner of making things easy to understand.
Key areas of this book are the sections covering plants such as roses and lavender. The entries on roses takes up two pages and colorfully shows you the specific species used in essential oil extraction, perfume and potpourri. This lovely display includes Gallica's Demask's and more, which many can use as a guide to buying truly fragrant rose plants to grow in the garden. Hybrid Tea roses can not be used for such purposes yet many do not know this. Other large spreads include sections on thyme, garlic, mint and lavender. The wonderful part is you are likely already growing a number of these botanicals without knowing they can be used for medicinal purposes. For example I found that our little Hen & Chick plants can be turned into a soothing tea.
Even though this book was published a number of years ago, it deserves to be placed on your shelf. Be it as a guide when you're buying plants at the nursery (as at times certain species contain better benefits compared to others) or wildcrafting. It can also give you great ideas on how to use and prepare them. It even has a nice, photo filled subchapter on essential oils which contains information such as Using Essential Oils Safely and Essential Oils Doses. Extraction is also covered, explaining 60,000 roses are needed to make 1 oz (30 g) of essential oil. Yes you read correctly. This is why rose essential oil is (and should be) expensive to buy compared to others like lemon grass. At
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