Learn how to grow hardy and fragrant herbs then use them create delicious meals with this beautifully illustrated herb gardening and cooking book. Author Rosalind Creasy takes you from seeds to stove top, from preparing soil to elegant dining, with easy-to-follow instructions and inspirational, imaginative ideas for every step of the way, with a complete "Resources" section. There's information on how to design and grow an herb garden just about anywhere-from a spacious country plot to a small city balcony, from California to Maine and anywhere in between. With vivid photographs you'll tour various gardens Creasy has created, plus the garden of herb luminary Carole Saville, among others. The comprehensive, fully illustrated "Encyclopedia of Culinary Herbs" section illustrates how to grow and use more than two dozen herb varieties. It includes both old favorites-basil, rosemary, sage, and the like-as well as more exotic herbs from around the world, including salad burnet, lemon verbena, and Mexican tarragon. In the "Favorite Herb Recipes" section you'll find delicious recipes as well as instructions for accompaniments-herb blends and butters, vinegars and teas; main dishes from cuisines around the world; and even cocktails and desserts