A Heavenly Herb: Rosemary for Every Garden
Myself and many before me have experienced a passionate appreciation for the popular herb Rosemary.
Now there are many herbs and all have their fabulous uses, some more than others, but Rosemary would be my pick if I had to choose a favorite. My love for Lavender is a strong one and thyme has got to have one of the best flavors God ever dreamed up, but Rosemary has a fantastic flavor in more than one kind of dish, it has an exquisite smell, and it makes an eye pleasing shrub addition to any garden space. It is also high in calcium and iron.
By removing the sturdy green leaves from the stalk of cuttings taken before the plant has bloomed you may chop them up and add to just about any meat dish such as chicken or pork, to pasta and pasta cream sauces, or potato dishes. Though seemingly subtle the flavor will jazz up your cooking to an extraordinary degree.
Whole sprigs may be dried for any number of uses, including aromatic ones, by binding them with string at the base and then inverting the bundle to hang in an arid place in the house. After they have compleetly dried you may store in jars or freeze in freezer bags for later use.
There is also the wonderful art of oil and vinegar flavoring that is fantastic fun. Certain herbs make wonderful flavored oil and vinegar and with a little patience you can flavor your own dressings and so forth to your exact preference. (I will be providing further info on how exactly this is done in another post).
Rosemary is also easy to propagate. By taking soft wood cuttings and leaving them in a part lit window in about an inch of water they soon develop roots and when they are strong enough may be planted in small planters eventually forming new plants.
There is also of course, the beauty of Rosemary in the garden. It makes a splendid looking shrub that will get quite large if given enough time and even bloom when it chooses to. There are different varieties with a range of flavors but all seem to enjoy the sunshine and heat so they make great plants for more arid gardens that save on the water bill. While Rosemary can get by with little watering new plants will need more watering to become adjusted to the new surroundings. Varieties Albus and arp are nice though all are great. Try Salem variety for colder climates.
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