​A Garden of Herbs by Eleanour Sinclair Rohde is a practical handbook designed for those interested in cultivating an old-fashioned English herb garden and utilizing herbs in traditional ways. The book provides guidance on creating a herb garden and offers numerous recipes for teas, syrups, conserves, pies, candied flowers and leaves, wines, sweet waters, and perfumes. Many of these recipes are derived from old English herbals, with additional contributions from the author herself. ​

Rohde begins by offering a brief historical overview of herb gardens, discussing significant English herbals dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. She then presents a comprehensive chapter titled “Sundry of Herbs,” where she lists common herbs alphabetically, providing descriptions, recipes, and preservation tips for each. The book includes recipes for dishes such as artichoke pie, chervil broth, pickled cowslips, dill pickles, marigold pudding, nettle spinach, sauce eglantine, tarragon vinegar, violet cakes, and wormwood brandy. ​

Further chapters delve into the preparation of salads using various herbs, complete with recipes for vinegar and mustard. Rohde also explores herb-based pottages and puddings, as well as drinks and homemade wines made from ingredients like mint, currants, lemons, dandelions, blackberries, sage, apples, gooseberries, apricots, and turnips. Additional recipes include almond milk, beetroot biscuits, parsnip cakes, and potato pie. The book concludes with practical advice on harvesting and drying herbs, along with instructions for creating herbal scents used in pomanders, ointments, bath waters, eau de cologne, and other perfumes. ​

Eleanour Sinclair Rohde’s A Garden of Herbs serves as a delightful resource for anyone interested in traditional herb gardening and the historical uses of herbs. Her engaging writing style and the wealth of information provided make this book both informative and enjoyable, appealing to gardeners, cooks, and those fascinated by the lore of plants.