The Shakers endlessly fascinate us; they seem always to offer something new. We are drawn again and again to their philosophy of simple, resourceful living, to their artifacts, and to their architecture, music, furniture, and agriculture. This book explores the Shakers' herb gardening heritage. It combines colorful history, practical growing and harvesting advice, and a guide to existing Shaker gardens. You will learn here how to plan and plant you own Shaker garden-a garden you will enjoy all the more by understanding its links to a tradition that began in 1774. "The Earth Shall Blossom" provides:

* Designs for your own color, fragrance, tea, culinary, or medicinal gardens

* Gardening tips from the 19th-century Shakers' Manual as well as up-to-date advice on growing and preserving herbs

* Descriptions of restored Shaker gardens from Maine to Kentucky

* Shaker herbal recipes for kitchen, bath, and medicinal use

* Over 60 illustrations, including period prints All of this is woven in with the entertaining and engaging history of the Shakers' agrarian life and their pioneering herb and herbal remedy business.