Combining the popular subjects of aromatherapy and gardening, Julia Lawless promotes the aromatic garden as a means to health, well-being, and pleasure. This book details the history of the scented garden, starting with the Persian palaces 2,500 years ago, and links this with the present-day appreciation of essential oils and their healing powers. Focusing on some of the most memorable fragrant gardens, past and present, then moving on to a discussion of specific plants and their uses, The Essential Aromatherapy Garden guides you through every stage of creating your own aromatic paradise. Featured gardens, including the author's former Gloucestershire garden and the Chelsea Physic Garden, provide inspiration and examples of the benefits that aromatic gardens afford. Accessible, practical advice helps you to achieve the reality—whether it's a tiny, fragrant border, a hanging basket, or a formal rose garden. With chapters including 'An aromatherapy and Perfumery Border,' 'Herbs for Health and Cooking,' 'Planning an Aromatherapy Garden,' and 'Secrets of the Still Room,' the author offers invaluable advice on all aspects of your garden – ensuing that both the enthusiast and the aspiring gardener are catered for. Plant portraits, covering over 50 of the most essential aromatherapy plants from acasia to violet, guide you through the practicalities of cultivation, gardening, recommended varieties, and range of uses. There are plenty of ideas and tips here to transform your aromatic plants into effective recipe ingredients.