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Bold, yet graceful, rosemary is a classic herb which has multiple personalities and typically finds its way on to the must-have lists of lots of gardeners. More than a culinary herb, Rosmarinus officinalis is a perennial that makes a handsome shrub and a perfect plant for pots. An evergreen herb native to the Mediterranean coast, it exudes a strong camphorous scent whenever you brush by or snip it. And snip it you must, not only to encourage bushy growth, but to enjoy rosemary's many uses - in cooking, in a bath or hair rinse, and as an invigorating sachet for the closet or car. Rosemary's popularity is nothing new. Students in ancient Greece wore rosemary garlands in their hair because they believed the herb stimulated memory. Known for centuries as the herb of remembrance, rosemary has been favoured in bouquets for weddings and funerals, and in nosegays as a token of friendship. Today, rosemary is being studied as an antioxidant with anti-bacterial properties and, along with St. John's wort, as a herbal aid for memory. When grown in the open ground, rosemary forms a deliciously fragrant three to six feet tall shrub depending on variety, and can be used to form an impressive hedge. There are prostrate forms which make excellent ground covers, rooting as they spread and helping to prevent erosion of steep ground. These prostrate varieties will clamber over garden walls, adding a decorative and softening effect. The upright types make perfect candidates for shapely topiaries, standards and hedges. Rosemary's needlelike leaves vary from ½ to 2-inches long, depending on the variety. The colour of the leaves varies too. Some types display bluish, grey and even golden hues, which add a bit of variety. Herbs are often grown just for their foliage, but rosemary boasts a bonus of delicate blooms in an array of colours - apart from the blue we normally expect there are also white, pink and even lavender flowered varieties, all of which attract lots of bees. Rosemary loves a sunny spot, though it will still thrive in partial shade. It revels in alkaline soil, so if you have an acid soil add lime at planting time. During the growing season, feed your rosemary once a month. But whatever you do, don't feed it too often. Overfeeding will result in lush growth at the expense of flavour. They should be cut back by at least one-third in spring to keep them lush and bushy. If a bush does get straggly and out of hand it is best to take it out and plant a new one. Cuttings take very easily - 5 inch basal or heel cuttings taken in summer can be rooted in a cold frame and potted on in the spring. Mature plants will survive outside in all but the harshest winters. If you grow one in a pot and want to move it into shelter for the winter, give it a forceful shower with a garden hose to wash out any unwanted hitchhikers first. Rosemary can be grown indoors. Potted rosemary enjoys winter residence in a sunny window, even if it is a bit draughty, or in a cool greenhouse. It flourishes with evenly moist soil that drains freely. And it does prefer a damp atmosphere, so set the pot on a tray of wet gravel if the air is very dry, which it usually is in a house with central heating. If you're lucky, your rosemary plant will bloom while the garden sleeps. Just remember to keep the soil damp - but not soggy-rosemary's extensive root system requires more water than you might think of this Mediterranean native. And watch out for brown leaf tips - a sure sign of overwatering. Don't be too eager to set the plant back outside in spring; both late frosts and cool, wet weather take a toll on the health of a rosemary which has enjoyed a sheltered life for a few months. Wait until the days are consistently warm and sunny before returning rosemary to its spot in the garden. But rosemary is a bit more than just a flowering aromatic shrub to be grown in the border. It can be planted in the vegetable plot as a companion to cauliflower, cabbage, beans, and carrots where, it is said, it will deter common insect pests of these crops, such as the cabbage moth, bean beetle, and carrot fly. So why not try a rosemary somewhere in your demesne, inside or outside, but somewhere where you can both see it and smell it. It won't let you down. And you could always use it as a herb when you are cooking. Now there's an idea. Happy gardening, Bill Hutchings |
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page last updated 1 OCTOBER 2000 |
