Remember sleeping with the windows open on muggy summer nights so you could smell the sweet, rich fragrance of gardenias and the strawberry bush in your grandmother’s back yard? Remember the refreshing, sweet taste of peppermint in your iced tea as you would swing lazily in the hammock on the porch? Remember that old willow tree out by the pond, and the way it’s long boughs of leaves whispered in a gentle breeze?

It’s not just a coincidence that some of our fondest memories involve botanicals, especially fragrant and tasty ones. Though they seem to be just humble plants, modern research reinforces what our ancestors discovered long ago: that botanicals can have a surprisingly, powerfully positive influence on our well-being.