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Rosemary: Remember this evergreen herb for food, fragrance, medicine
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I've grown this rosemary for years in a container. A pansy adds spring color. Photo by Quincy Benton
Rosemary symbolizes remembrance. I remember several rosemary plants that died on my watch. There was the stately topiary many years ago. Shaped like a little Christmas tree, this evergreen shrub was thriving during the winter inside near my swamp cooler, enjoying the cool drafts to the point that the plant actually blossomed! Alas, about the time I bragged about my beautiful, tiny, pale blue blossoms, I think I over-watered. Powdery mildew set in, and that was the end of that.
Then there was the hardy rosemary—‘Arp’--that I planted in the wrong place a few seasons ago. With not enough sun and too much water, it barely put on any growth the first two seasons. This spring it is missing in action. I do intend to find a replacement and position it in a blisteringly hot and dry spot.
I do have a rosemary in a 12-inch terra cotta pot that has been with me for about five years. Over the winter, Rosemary hangs out near a south-facing window where there’s a bit of a draft. And I resist watering her too much.
The genus name “Rosmarinus” means “dew of the sea.” Rosemary hails from the Mediterranean region. I’ve had the good fortune to vacation twice in Spain, where the rosemary grows like weeds. Rosemary needs only light watering, but full sun.
This resinous herb deserves a place in your garden for several reasons. For one thing, Rosemarinus officinalis is chock full of antioxidants. Add this therapeutic plant to everything from your potatoes to your bath.
I used to safeguard my rosemary since it seemed to grow slowly. Actually, when I snip mine back, it encourages growth. Rosemary makes a nice garnish on a plate. Sometimes, I tuck a sprig with a cloth napkin in a napkin ring.
The piney scent is terrifically clean; and according to aromatherapy, rosemary helps increase circulation to the brain and boosts memory. When I’m on assignment in Southern California, I see rosemary growing everywhere, vigorously. I break off a sprig from a rosemary hedge to sniff while we’re crawling along in traffic so I can remember something more pleasant—like the sight and fresh scent of rosemary spreading along the Menorcan rocks on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Aaaaahhhh.
For more info: Click on this link to read my entry on another marvelously useful fragrant herb: scented geraniums.
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