Rosemary for Remembrance

I love rosemary as an herb for its fragrance; it makes me think of clean, fresh pine woods and the time just before dawn when the air holds the hint of promise. It has a long and venerable history in the plant kingdom. Among the ancient Greek and Roman cultures, rosemary symbolized fidelity. It was also thought to enhance memory - "rosemary for remembrance" is a common folk saying. Because of its associations with fidelity, loyalty and memory, it was used at both weddings and funerals. Brides wore wreaths of rosemary and one of Henry VIII's ill-fated brides, Anne of Cleves, wore a wreath of rosemary. Wedding guests were given a small bouquet of rosemary too, the way we give sugar coated almonds or other small gifts or favors to guests today. 

Among culinary herbs, rosemary is most often paired with lamb or in Mediterranean dishes. I offer my take on a Tuscan white bean and rosemary soup on Recipes from the Garden today.

To grow rosemary, full sun is a must, you need well drained soil. It's a Mediterranean plant and doesn't like the cold. I winter mine over in the raised beds here at Seven Oaks by using a simple homemade cloche.  Cloche is a french word for bell, and a cloche is a bell like covering in the garden. Fancy ones are made of glass but here's my frugal secret: I use empty soda pop bottles, the big 2 or 3 liter kind. I clean them will, remove the labels, and cut off the pouring and.  Then I have a nice little mini greenhouse to slip over my rosemary plants. Just remember to remove them on warmer winter days. Precooking rosemary is not recommend!

You can dry rosemary quite easily. I've hung up bunches of rosemary in the garage, let it air dry in the heat, then picked the thin needles off.  Best of all, tuck some fresh rosemary around the house.  If you enjoy the scent, it's a great treat.

My rosemary is tucked in between the chives and oregano and as always, the oregano threatens to consume it in its mad passion to take over the raised bed entirely. Not to be outdone, the lemon balm beside it also vies for prominence. The catnip all the while laughs; although I hacked it back to the ground, it has regained its vigor, believing in the motto "what does not kill me makes me stronger."  Even the catnip plants I pulled up by the roots and tossed into the woods managed to take hold and grow again.....I have enough catnip for Pierre and all his country cousins this year.

Enjoy your herb garden while you can.  The calendar tells me that despite the heat of summer, fall is quickly creeping in on golden feet, and soon I'll be sighing and wishing my herb garden was green again.

Two articles on rosemary for more folklore:

• Botanical

• Gomestic