Leaves, Needles, Grass

Some are tough while others are delicate and they come in a variety of shapes and placement. Grass grows low to the ground and leaves may top tall trees. The unfurling frond of a fern is a thing of beauty and the scent of pine needles is glorious. Sweet scented grass reminds of summer and colored leaves are harbingers of fall. Animals rest, nest, and feed in leaves, needles, and grass.

Though not all leaves and grasses are fragrant, the books tells the natural history and uses of plants like sweetgrass, citrus leaves, and pine needles.

• When you hold the leaf of a lime or lemon tree up to the sun you can see the tiny fragrant pockets of essential oil that protect the tree and provide cheerful perfume notes

• The air within a eucalyptus grove is scented with protective aromatic compounds and provides a lovely place for the practice of forest bathing