Rosemary - Dew of the Sea

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Rosemary has roots (pun intended!) that can be traced back to the Egyptians (who used it in their burial ceremonies), and later the Romans and Greeks who used it in food and as a medicine.. Ros Marinus is Latin for Dew of the Sea which fits well as it grows prolifically on the Mediterranean coast and the small , delicate blue flowers can look very dew like. It's believed that the plant came over to England during the Roman occupation but the first evidence seems to come from the 8th century when Rosemary was planted in monastic gardens mainly for medicinal purposes The first inkling that it was grown in a British garden was in the 14th century when the Countess of Hainault (which has, over time, been consumed by Belgium) sent a plant to the English queen Philippa, the wife of Edward III. It was planted in the gardens at the palace of Westminster. From here it seemed to spread far and wide across the country. The herb has some pest control effects so is a great plant to have in your garden although obviously it sometimes needs a helping hand. However, I have to say that this year I've had no problems with bugs other than slugs and snails. No greenfly or blackfly. The plant is steeped in folklore. It's been a symbol of remembrance both at weddings (presumably to ensure the newly weds remained true to each other!) and at funerals. It was recognised as an aid to memory and the Greek scholars wore rosemary garlands around their heads. Rosemary is supposed to aid hair growth, is great for stress or anxiety, helps ease coughs and has antibacterial properties so is a good natural remedy for cuts and scratches. It's great for maintaining a healthy gut and is good for digestive problems in general - constipation, upset stomachs and diarrhoea. It's quite a potent herb, however, so needs to be taken in moderation. If you don't fancy rosemary tea, it can of course be added to various recipes both sweet and savoury. It's an easy to grow herb. I bought mine from my local supermarket as a 'cut and come again' herb pot but decided I didn't want to just use it until it had no more strength in it and had to go in the bin so I planted it up in a large garden urn and, as you can see, it's doing very well.