Doesn’t it seem like a long time since we were out in our gardens? It seems like a long time ago since we were bringing in the last of our plants and bulbs. At that time, in the flurry of activity before the cold weather arrived, we brought in our little rosemary plant at the last moment. I was planning to cut the branches to dry them, but guess what, the plant was still so nice and lush that we just let it be, and it is still doing well.
It’s fitting, because as we stand on the brink of a brand new year, I did some research and discovered that rosemary is one of the “lucky” plants for a new year. It has a whole list of attributes that make it lucky: it will relax our minds and help to keep us youthful. (The fragrance is wonderful, I think of it as nature’s incense). Rosemary is said to help to increase our brain power, boost our memory and even improve our mood. It reputedly helps with healing and purification. And who needs cupid when there is rosemary, a plant that is said to attract love!
But for us gardeners, rosemary is a wonderful plant to put on our list for next year. It is a perennial herb that has stems with long, narrow leaves, almost like a spruce branch. It is extremely fragrant and very flavorful (perfect for pork, delicious!) I did some homework and information does say that rosemary is a perennial, although chances are that it will not make through our winters. I remember Mom had a rosemary that did survive one or two winters in her garden, but it was not long-lived.
Rosemary hails from the Mediterranean, so it like sunny locations and can withstand periods of drought (so maybe it does stand a chance in our house after all!). It is easy to grow, requires no special care or special soil (just make sure it has good drainage), and does not have a pest problem. In fact, if you are tending towards xeriscape gardening, rosemary would be a good choice. If you do your gardening in pots, rosemary also does very well in containers.
The plant has a bushy habit, and will branch out if you pinch it. Even a small plant has a beautiful aroma. Years ago we were in the Sonoma region of California, and our hotel had a stunning garden. The rosemary plants were like large shrubs, and every time we walked by them, we had to stop and linger because of the heady fragrance.
I’ll share an easy rosemary recipe with you now, something that’s nice to serve with crackers and cheese or to top a salad. Here it is, Rosemary Walnuts: melt 2-½ tablespoons of butter and add two teaspoons of dried, crumbled rosemary, one teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Mix well, then add two cups of walnuts and stir to coat. Spread the walnuts on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for ten minutes. They are delicious and you get the wonderful fragrance of the rosemary as well to add to your dining enjoyment! If you do manage not to eat them all at once, store them in an airtight container.
Plants and their fruit have long been part of New Year’s. In Spain, they eat twelve grapes at midnight. Rice symbolizes prosperity in India. Apples dipped in honey are part of Rosh Hashanah. And here, rosemary, the plant of remembrance, can take us into the new year with beauty and fragrance.
Happy New year, dear gardeners! May you be blessed with health and happiness in 2017! Keep on gardening, even if your entire garden is in one container. Gardening keeps us looking ahead with hope and enthusiasm! God bless! Have a great week! Visit us at www.yorktonhort.ca
