There's an ancient proverb that says people either love or hate Yarrow and that those who hate it are simply grouchy fools. A cranky gardener once commented that the reason why she hates yarrow is because it's "as common as the weeds in spring." Strangely, she loves and raves constantly about Nevada's Big Sage.
Yarrow comes in a variety of colors, from pure white to yellow, to pink and deep purple-red. The plants are amazing in that their blooms last for months, the plant will grow in just about any soil, they are very drought tolerant, and they can all but be forgotten and yet still thrive. But perhaps what is most incredible about Yarrow is that the flower stalks can tell the future.
It's true, the dried flower stems of Achillea Millefolium have been used for centuries as tools for consulting the oracle of the I Ching, what some say is the oldest and wisest book in the history of human culture. How the oracle works is anyone's guess, nevertheless, the ritual is fascinating and some say, curiously accurate in its telling. In any case, Yarrow is easy to grow, beautiful to look at and it smells sweet.
In western traditions, it is said that the reason why the botanical name references Achilles is because the Greeks used Yarrow medicinally to stop wounds from bleeding on the battlefield.