Rosemary - Salvia rosmarinus (previously know as Rosmarinus officinalis)
70 Seeds
Sow March - May.
Hardy evergreen perennial.
Height and spread 1m (3ft).
Prefers a light, well-drained soil in a sheltered sunny position.
Sow in a seed tray of soil-less compost, cover with compost and glass and maintain a temperature of at least 20°C.
When large enough, prick out into a 5cm pot, gradually harden off and plant out any time from May to September. The ideal time to plant out rosemary is April. Prefers light, well drained soil in full sun. Rosemary prefers a slightly limey soil (the opposite of acid) because this results in smaller plants with more fragrant leaves. It will stand severe frosts if conditions are not windy and wet as well. Rosemary does not like to have its roots disturbed so leave as much of the root ball undisturbed as possible. Water well if the conditions are at all dry.
This ash-coloured shrub has a pungent, pine-like fragrance. It has scaly bark and opposite, needle-like, leathery leaves, which are thick and dark green on the top and downy white underneath. The square, woody stems can be burned on a fire for a lovely aroma. The pale blue, pink or white flowers appear in early spring, summer and sometimes in autumn.
Rosemary
From the family Lamiaceae.
This aromatic plant originated in the Mediterranean area. The Latin name means 'sea dew', which may come from its habit of growing close to the sea. The upright variety was valued historically for its beneficial properties and is still highly regarded today. It is steeped in myth, magic and folk medicinal use. In one legend, Rosemary is used to waken Sleeping Beauty; in another, fairies take the form of snakes and lie among the Rosemary. It is said originally that the blue flowers were white and when the Holy family fled into Egypt, the Virgin Mary had to hide from some soldiers, so she spread her blue cloak over a rosemary bush and knelt behind it, when the soldiers had gone by she stood up and removed her cloak and the blossoms turned blue in her honour. Also connected to the Christian faith is the story that rosemary will grow for 33 years, the length of Christ's life and then die. In Elizabethan days, the wedding couple wore a sprig of rosemary as a sign of fidelity and bunches were tied with coloured ribbon and given to guests to symbolize love and faithfulness. It was also burnt in sick chambers to purify the air and during the Plague it was carried in neck pouches to be sniffed when travelling through suspicious areas.