"In The Scentual Garden, Ken Druse offers a complete and wholly original survey of fragrant plants for gardeners. He points out that we have a rich vocabulary for describing the forms and colors of plants but are impoverished when it comes to smell. Working with perfumers' classifications, Druse developed twelve master scent categories that range from floral and fruity to balsamic and medicinal. Druse also explains how and why plants produce fragrances,...

In this wide-ranging and accessible new book, biologist-turned-perfumer Elise Vernon Pearlstine turns our human-centered perception of fragrance on its head and investigates plants' evolutionary reasons for creating aromatic molecules. Delving into themes of spirituality, wealth, power, addiction, royalty, fantasy, and more, Pearlstine uncovers the natural history of aromatic substances and their intersection with human culture and civilization.