I had the pleasure of speaking with Jim Long during last week’s Rose Chat interview    about his book, How To Eat a Rose, the rose as herb of the year and so much more.

JIM LONG

Jim has appeared on numerous HGTV and Discovery Channel gardening programs as well as P. Allen Smith’s garden series. His gardens have been featured in Southern Living, Gourmet and Better Homes & Gardens magazines. He also writes the syndicated newspaper column, The Ozarks Gardener that runs in newspapers in Missouri and Arkansas. Check out the Ozark’s Gardener blog here.

He is the proprietor of Long Creek Herbs where you can find many wonderful products derived from herbs.

INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE

Twelve years ago while in India, Jim was surprised to see ice cream flavors listed as chocolate, vanilla, pistachio and rose. So his interest was sparked as to how roses are used in other countries and his research began!

HERB OF THE YEAR

Each year the International Herb Association chooses the herb of the year (click for details). This decision is based on 3 things…

• Does it have medicinal properties?
• Is it an culinary herb?
• Can it be used for crafts or manufacturing?

At first I thought it was odd that the rose would be herb of the year, but with the rose, the answer to all 3 questions is, “YES.” So, Jim’s says it fit perfectly as herb of the year.

WHICH ROSES TO USE

Jim says, “If it smells good, it will taste good–just be sure there have been no sprays or systemic fertilizers used on the roses!”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

This book is a great value for only $5.95. If you love roses, you need this book in your collection. You can purchase a copy here @ longcreekherbs.com, Jim’s website.