Flowers and Herbs of Early America Book

Hounds-tongue. Ragged robin. Costmary. Pennyroyal. All-heal. These plants, whose very names conjure up a bygone world, were among the great variety of flowers and herbs grown in America’s colonial and early Federal gardens. In this sumptuously illustrated book, a leading historic plant expert brings this botanical heritage back to life.

Drawing on years of archival research and field trials in Colonial Williamsburg’s gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, Lawrence Griffith documents fifty-six species of flowers and herbs and provides details on how they were cultivated and used. For each plant, an elegant period hand-colored engraving, watercolor, or woodcut is presented along with glorious new photographs by Barbara Temple Lombardi.

This book is a dazzling treat for armchair gardeners and for those who have visited and admired the famous gardens of Colonial Williamsburg. It is also an invaluable companion for twenty-first-century gardeners who will appreciate the specific advice of a master gardener on how to plan, choose appropriate species for, and maintain a beautiful, historic flower and herb garden.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a not-for-profit educational institution that operates the world’s largest living history museum.

Published in association with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Lisa A. Ennis - Library Journal

Griffith, curator of plants for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, has drawn on a wealth of historical research and his own experiments in the field to craft a work that explores how 56 different flowers and herbs were grown and used in early America. With the intent to entertain as well as inform, Griffith discusses how early Americans viewed plants: they primarily focused on a plant's perceived usefulness. Griffith explains that his book is not meant to cover all Colonial plants but only those that he successfully grew in his own field trials. The entries are organized by how the plant is viewed today; thus, Griffith writes, most (47) of them now fall into the ornamental category. Each section features a sidebar containing plant facts and tips. Also included are a lengthy section on the historical sources used, a section on general planting information, and endnotes. The strength of the book lies in its solid historical research, smooth writing, and beautiful color photographs-by Colonial Williamsburg photographer Lombardi-and period images. Recommended for both public and academic libraries.