“As for Rosemary, I let it run all over my garden walls, not only because me bees love it, but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friendship” – Sir Thomas Moore
Rosemary has been in use for so many years that, like Lavender, its history is steeped in myth. Neanderthals probably used it to flavour those big mammoth roast joint and two tubers on a Sunday. Known both as an attractant for the Fae and protection against Fairies stealing your children (by hanging sprigs above the crib which) seems a little Schizophrenic. This is typical of the many and sometimes contradictory uses of that have been traditionally associated with this plant. Having trouble deciding who to marry out of you numerous clamouring suitors? Name pots after each of them, plant rosemary in each. The one that grows the best is the guy for you. Rosemary was also said to grown extremely well in a house of strong women. In some places it also meant that the wife ruled the roost which saw many a plant routinely pruned heavily by the men of the house – Just in case. (A treatment it actually thrives with)
The wood, made into a small box, is said to bestow and restore youthfulness if you inhale the vapours from inside the box daily. Given that it took me hours to hack off stumps and prune a large bush using only a hand saw it certainly makes a dense and strong wood, although getting trunks to grow much beyond 4 cms in width would take a lot of doing. It was highly prized for making musical instruments as well, if you could get some.
Its use as a smudge in funerary practices (probably to mask the smell of putrefaction) seems to have led to the belief that sprigs of rosemary would protect you against the Plague. This saw the price of rosemary skyrocket in London during the worse years of the Black Death (think Tulips!) Bet all those midnight sneaky pruning men were sorry then! Ironically enough, although no really good peer reviewed studies have been done to my knowledge of the effect on human gut flora and immunology, Lab test tube results show it does act as an anti-oxidant, and anti-bacterial. Studies also show that it does seem to have some sort of effect on improving memory although the mechanism is yet to be determined. Its claims though are many and manifest as another good for everything that ails you plant. However, one thing is agreed upon: medicinal internal use of concentrated essential oils, are not for use when pregnant (can cause miscarriage), and Hypertensive patients on certain medications as the diuretic qualities of Rosemary can interfere with those. (Used externally or as a culinary herb its fine) It’s also good for skin and hair and seems to help prevent dandruff. (Boil some up mix with vinegar and use as a final rinse for really shiny, soft hair if you are Brunette in particular)
As a garden plant it makes a great hedge or just general all round background plant. Its green and lush all the year round, has great blue flowers that are very attractant to bees and flowers when there is not much else about which is more to the point, so it helps keep the native and honey bees healthy. (There’s also pink and white variants but there are heaps of pink and white flowers, blue is harder to come by) There is even a prostrate variety for ground covers. It thrives in all sorts of conditions even sea side (rosemary is literally a corruption of the Latin rosmarinus – meaning dew of the sea) and can cope with frost and even light snow. Although in Australia the most usual variant Tuscan Blue tends not to cope too well with many days below zero degrees so look around for local varieties if you live in the Snow Belt or King Island. It helps repel things like flies and fleas, and once established you can’t kill it with a brick. It’s supposed to be easy to strike but I’ve only had success with tip cuttings in autumn and winter. Bruise the end and leave a heel if you can. Tent and leave it until spring, making sure its damp but not soaking.
Culinary use is best restricted to baking where it can be left whole so you can remove the woody sprigs (such as in a bouquet garni), but it’s very, very good with potatoes or lamb. Some hipster cooks recommend keeping a bush by the Barbie so you can skewer your meat directly onto freshly plucked sprigs. Sounds good eh? However, I can tell you it’s hard enough to thread those suckers onto straight sharpened bamboo, can’t imagine doing it with blunt springy sprigs. Tie a few together and use as a brush to baste instead. I’ve soaked them in wine and then put onto hot coals in a Webber as a smoke as well. Steep in salt and oil and that will pull the flavours straight out for a great rub or base for a salad dressing. If you want to bake the world’s best Greek lamb: Juice one lemon. Add about 2 tbs salt and set aside. Poke holes all over it and then poke in a sliver of garlic, finely sliced lemon peel and sprig of rosemary. Rub/pour salt and lemon juice over it. Drizzle with olive oil and then bake hot and fast for rare or low and slow for well done (however, you usually do it) Eat with freshly baked bread, potatoes roasted with garlic and rosemary and a salad to assuage your conscience. Close eyes firmly to the carb count and oil that is being soaked up in the bread and enjoy. Preferably with a nice robust Red!
“..pray love, remember” Ophelia (Hamlet: Act V Sc IV)
Leave IT to V 