Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants

Bittner and Harampolis, owners of the Homestead Design Collective, a landscape design firm in the San Francisco Bay Area, expand the sense of possibility for practical use of typical plants while showing readers how to increase the bounty of the harvest. For example, lavender is often predictably consigned to the sachet or dried arrangements when, as noted in the book, it goes fabulously with chocolate mint for an invigorating tea. Salt-preserving herbs is another little-known and easily executed project that introduces year-long longevity for seasonal culinary delicacies. Whether for culinary purposes or home design, each project includes advice for optimal growing and cultivation of the relevant plants, followed by tips for proper harvesting. Arranged according to seasons, and accompanied by dramatic and intimate color photos, these creative and eclectic projects make a great resource for the earth-minded lover who relishes nature’s gifts but needs new ways of cultivating them and deriving their bountiful benefits. Color photos. (Feb.)