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Rosemarys
This is one aromatic herb I wouldn’t be without in the garden. But I don’t confine it to the herb garden because it is a very attractive and useful garden plant in its own right.
Rosemary plants originated from southern Europe and Asia Minor and have been grown and used by cooks and apothecaries since earliest times .It has a reputation for strengthening the memory and has become the emblem for fidelity for lovers. In times past Rosemary was burned in sick chambers to purify the air and strewn in law courts as a protection from “ gaol fever”. During the plague Rosemary was carried in the hollow handles of walking sticks in the belief that it would ward off the disease. Oil distilled from Rosemary officinalis, the common Rosemary, is an important ingredient of eau de cologne.
Nowadays Rosemary is a popular fresh herb to add to lamb and pork dishes. Not only does it give flavour but it aids in the digestion of the fat in the meat. It also transforms the flavour of roasted and baked potatoes even the oldest potatoes. I lay sprigs of Rosemary under the potatoes and drizzle olive oil over all. Baste occasionally and the lovely flavour of the Rosemary goes right through the potato. Discard the Rosemary after cooking as it is a very woody plant and becomes quite hard and stick like after an hours baking in the oven.
Rosemary is easy to grow as long as the soil is perfectly free draining. Although it prefers a sunny position in well drained sites Rosemary will tolerate considerable shade. In such a site bushes tend to sprawl or branches grow outward toward the light but the plants themselves continue to thrive.. Once established Rosemary plants will grow through the worst droughts and still look bright and cheerful. Feeding is not really required as even in the poorest conditions Rosemary continues to grow fresh leaves and flowers abundantly.
There are two main types of Rosemary. One is an upright shrubby form and the other a sprawling ground cover. The upright grower will make an excellent aromatic hedge if clipped regulary. The ground covers can also be used to spill over walls. The main flower colour is blue in all hues but there are also white and pink variants as well. I do prefer the blues as do the bees who enjoy visiting them from late winter when they begin to flower. Although spring is the main flowering period many Rosemarys seem to have a few flowers on them throughout the year.
Popular varieties to choose from
Rosemary Officinalis Tuscan Blue
An upright shrubby grower with deep violet blue flowers from early spring. The leaves are very deep green on a narrow growing plant so ideal for hedging. Without pruning will attain 1.8 ms in height.
Rosemary Officinalis September Blue
A bushy grower with grayish green leaves .A profusion of sky blue flowers illuminate the bush from mid winter. Another good specimen to clip into hedging but a smaller grower. 1m tall.
Rosemary officinalis prostrata or lavendulaceus
Ground cover or wall spiller plant. Greyish green leaves are studded with pale blue flowers through most of the year. The prostrate Rosemarys make excellent container plants as they tolerate neglect. The variant Lockwood de Forest has deeper green leaves with richer coloured blue flowers.
Rosemary officinalis Blue Lagoon.
This Rosemary also goes under the name of Benenden Blue and Collingwood Ingram to confuse matters.
This is a very popular and showy dwarf growing shrub with deep green leaves.. It is a wide spreading ground cover that sends up gracefully curving branches up to 60cms in height. They are covered in flowers of brightest blue through spring and into summer. One shrub will easily cover 1.3 metres of ground.
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