Kathi KevilleThe fragrance of rose has inspired poets and lovers throughout the ages. The Greek poetess Sappho christened it “queen of flowers” in 600 BC. Although originally distilled in Asia Minor, today Bulgaria is the world’s largest...
Rosmarinus means “dew of the sea,” where this Mediterranean herb loves to grow. Rosemary delights the late winter with prolific blooms. Rosemary was the main ingredient in “Hungary Water” and the first cologne. The old French...
The French call this South American rain forest tree bois de rose, or “wood of rose.” Rosewood was first distilled in 1875 in French Guiana, but became so popular that the trees were all cut. It is one of the many plants that make the...
Originally from India, lemongrass is an important medicine in South America and Southeast Asia. It is grown in Central America, Brazil and China, and is one of the ten best-selling essential oils in the world (about 1,500 tons per year). It is used...
Familiar as a culinary herb, sage comes from Spain and Asia Minor. In medieval times it was used as a nervous-system tonic to reduce tics or epilepsy. Because its essential oil has antioxidant properties, the herb was used to preserve food. In...
The fragrance temporarily makes you lose your sense of smell, leading Shakespeare to muse, “The perfume, suppliance of a minute. No more.” Medieval patients drank violet water; they were rubbed with violet oil, then wrapped in linen...
The balsam fir, better known as the “Christmas tree,” is native to northern Europe. “Fir” essential oil is distilled from the twigs or needles of many different firs, and even from spruces, pines and other conifers. Family:...
An important incense since ancient times, frankincense has been used throughout the ages to enhance spirituality. It's also known for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory medicinal properties, and even has cosmetic and skin treatments.
Resembling a giant fennel plant, galbanum was used in the ancient world as incense. Native to the Middle East and West Asia, it is cultivated today in Iran, Turkey, Lebanon and Afghanistan. It was used in pharmaceuticals, but now it is mostly known...
Seventeenth-century Europeans took a fancy to this tender African perennial, also known as “rose geranium,” and propagated it in their greenhouses. The resulting hybridization increased the species to more than 600, which includes many...
