Adding Flavor with an Herb Garden: Rosemary

Adding Flavor with an Herb Garden: Rosemary

With gardening season just around the corner, I’d like to introduce you to a few of my favorite garden friends: my herbs! Herbs are a healthy way to add flavor, color and a little creativity to meals. Fresh from my organic garden or dried for winter use, I use herbs with every meal!

Today, I would like you to meet Rosemary. Rosemary is one of those herbs that is a definite must-have for me. There is hardly a day or two that goes by in which I am not using this herb in some way or another.

Besides the obvious culinary options, Rosemary works for repelling flies, moths, fleas, mosquitoes and even slugs. It is also used in shampoo for both its ability to encourage hair growth and repel lice! This versatile herb is even loved by honeybees, which use fields of rosemary to produce a delicate whitish honey.

Rosemary is one of the most documented culinary herbs. This plant is mentioned quite frequently in literature, historical records, folklore and legends.

Symbolizing remembrance and honor in many cultures, Rosemary branches were used by the ancient Egyptians as part of their funeral practices. Popular by 500 BC in Europe, the ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed this herb for both medicinal and culinary purposes, being used most notably for circulation and short-term memory issues. While legends of The Four Thieves credit it with treating and curing the Bubonic Plague during the Middle Ages. Likewise, Rosemary is mentioned in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. There is even a legend from England’s Tudor Era which states that a man unable to smell its aroma was not worthy of love. This herb has been worn throughout history by brides: symbolizing fidelity, friendship, love and a remembrance of her girlhood.

Its rich history aside, I love the extensive range of culinary uses held by Rosemary. With a distinctive piney aroma and bold savory flavor, Rosemary holds its own paired with Oregano, Thyme and even the robust flavor of Garlic.

Unlike many woody herbs, Rosemary retains its flavor well, even when dried, making it a year-around all-star. It shines in everything from pasta sauce to potatoes and other vegetables dishes. Rosemary adds a complexity to fruit dishes and is included in several different beverage recipes. Famous as a seasoning for meats, it is called upon to intensify everything from simple chicken legs, to a festive beef roast or leg of lamb. Complementing soups and stews as well as herb butters and salts, flavored vinegar and even in breads, used in the right amount (too much can be overpowering), Rosemary’s unique flavor is strong enough to go with practically anything!

Rosemary, like many culinary herbs, is a member of the mint family. It is grouped with Basil, Oregano, Lavender and Marjoram as well as many other lesser known herbs. Native to both Asia and the Mediterranean, this widely used and loved perennial has become naturalized throughout most
of Europe. There are a few varieties that are native to the southern United States as well.

It is an evergreen-like shrub that can be found growing in dry scrub and rocky areas along the ocean coast. Its Latin name even means “dew of the sea.” When in bloom, Rosemary produces small purplish blue flowers.

A warm-climate loving plant with woody stems and a gray/green color, Rosemary is very aromatic!

Its size varies greatly by how it is grown, cared for, and its environment. In its native environment, untrimmed Rosemary can grow up to 6 feet high and 5 feet wide! It prefers the warmth of USDA zones 9-11, although some of the hardier varieties can survive a winter or two in USDA zones 6-8 if given good drainage and additional protection from the cold. More frequently it is simply grown as an annual or in a planter and brought indoors during the winter months. In order to successfully over winter Rosemary indoors it needs to be kept in a bright, cool area with a temperature around 63°-64 °F.

I prefer to grow Rosemary in a planter on my porch steps. Simply fill your planter with a light well drained loamy potting soil with a neutral to alkaline pH of 6-7. Due to a very low germination rate, this herb is typically propagated from cuttings. So purchasing a plant from the local garden center or greenhouse is the most practical way to get your herb garden started.

Pick a sunny spot as Rosemary prefers full sun, but will tolerate partial shade if necessary. Your new friend can handle a dry spell, but will not tolerate being over watered, so go easy with the watering can!

Whether you grow a simple patio garden, decorative raised bed, or an elaborate kitchen garden, this spring why not broaden your circle of friends and welcome Rosemary into your home and garden!

En route to a more flavorful life, Homesteading Hen