Fragrance

Do you have a fine taste? Then you probably also have a good nose, because the senses of taste and smell together make food a great pleasure. Therefore, spices and kitchen herbs with their essential oils belong in every dish. These oils are contained in the fragrant flowers and other plant parts as well. They are the carriers of scent. The extraction of fragrance is usually done by distillation, a method known in Persia for 5,000 years.

The tropical vetiver(Vetiveria zizanioides) contains a sweet, woody-scented oil in its roots. It is the base of many perfumes, and it is also popular for incense, soap and cosmetics. The aromatic roots braided into rugs and curtains keep unwanted insects away. Grasses are good partners in mixed cultivations, because their dense root systems protect against erosion.

It is equally a medicinal and spice plant and a symbol for glory and honor. The leaves of the laurel or bay(Laurus nobilis) crown not only the heads of victors and function as home remedies against infection, but they are also a treasured flavoring agent for soups and roasts.