A rose is a rose is...an herb? There is a bountiful bouquet of herbal lore, ancient and modern, about roses. Nicholas Culpeper, the famous 17th-century herbalist, described various medicinal preparations of roses—infusions, decoctions, ointments, conserves, and cordials—to strengthen the head, heart, stomach, and liver. For headaches, Culpeper prescribed powdered rose petals, mixed with wine. For insomnia, he suggested sleeping on a "rose cake"—rose petals moistened with rose water and sprinkled with nutmeg and poppy seeds, secured in a double-folded cloth. To make your own sleep pillow, fold a 6" by 12" length of muslin into a square and stitch along the sides, leaving a small opening. Stuff with dried rose petals mixed with lavender and hops, and scent with a few drops of rose oil. Tuck between the pillow and the pillow case.