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Member since:30.04.2003
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I love growing and using herbs and one of my favourites is Rosemary. Rosemary is easy to grow, looks and smells wonderful and can be used in many ways.
Growing Rosemary. ***************** How to grow Rosemary is the obvious place to start this review. The first thing to say is that Rosemary is really easy to grow and in my experience quite forgiving too! Having said that Rosemary is not easy to grow from seed. I recommend you buy your plant from a nursery. They are really cheap, usually about £1 each. April is the ideal month for planting outside although it is not to late now in early may. Rosemary originates from the Mediterranean and so not surprisingly likes to grow in a sunny spot. It also likes sandy soil although my plants grow very happily in clay soil. Planting is really easy; simply dig a hole about 3 inches deep and plant. Rosemary does not like too much water and can survive drought well. Plants can grow up to 1.5 metres tall if you let them. Rosemary can be trimmed and even pruned into shapes if you like. This really doesn't appeal to me, as I like my garden a bit on the wild side.
There are several different varieties of Rosemary to choose from, including white and pink varieties. I grow one with blue flowers, as that is my favourite colour. The leaves are long and thin and look a bit like pine needles. I love the bright green and silver colour of the leaves. The stem is fairly woody. I should mention that Rosemary is fairly disease resistant and a plant should last for about twenty years once established.
If you don't have a garden then it is possible to grow Rosemary in a pot. Just choose a sunny spot and water occasionally. It is best to add some grit to your compost when planting.
Using Rosemary. ************** Rosemary not only looks pretty and smells great, but can be used in lots of ways too. Rosemary is wonderful with roast lamb. Simply pick a few sprigs of Rosemary leaves, make a few slits in the top of your joint and push the leaves well into each slit. Rosemary also tastes great with chicken.
I love making soup and adding a few sprigs of Rosemary really enhances the flavour. It is good added to tinned soups too! I add a few sprigs of Rosemary to tomato-based sauces. I find that using herbs in general helps me cut down on my salt intake. Rosemary is especially good when cooked with halibut. Place each halibut steak onto some foil; add a knob of butter and a few sprigs of Rosemary. Parcel up the each halibut steak individually and then bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Rosemary is does not just add flavour but had health benefits too. Rosemary is a good source of vitamin E, B6 and calcium.
Other information. ********************* Rosemary or Rosmarinus to give it is Latin name is a Mediterranean plant. Its Latin name means dew by the sea. It was originally bought to the UK by the Romans and was used to give flavour to food as it is to day.
The ancient Greeks believed that Rosemary could help to improve the memory. Rosemary is used to signify remembrance. Brides wear it as a sign of love and loyalty. It was also once used to ward off evil spirits.
Rosemary extract is used in cosmetics as it can help to protect skin from wrinkles.
There is research that shows Rosemary extract can help prevent breast cancer by blocking excess oestrogen in the body. Rosemary has also been shown to help liver function. It is important to note that Rosemary, taken in excess is poisonous. If you are interested in using Rosemary to help with any health problem then you need to consult a herbalist.
Rosemary is a wonderful herb and I wouldn't be without it in my garden.
Ignor the critea box at the end- user manual?!
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