A Bundle of Herbs a Day for Advent (Part 2)

Day 9 – Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is the symbol of remembrance. There is a legend about how it acquired its blue flowers. Once, all rosemary plants had white flowers. The story goes, the shrub offered shelter to the Holy family during their flight into Egypt. Mary washed the baby’s clothes and then spread them on the thick fragrant branches of rosemary to dry. When the clothes were removed, the flowers had taken on the blue of Mary’s mantle.

In the Middle Ages mothers put a sprig of rosemary into the baby’s cradle to help it sleep. It is said to bring happiness to families who use it to perfume their houses on Christmas night. In the Middle Ages it was particularly favoured and was bound in garlands with bay, holly, mistletoe and ivy and was always used to decorate castle and cottage. Gilded branches of rosemary and bay crowned the traditional boar’s head and popular New Year gifts were sprigs of rosemary and an orange stuck with cloves.

A hardy evergreen perennial in most areas, but tender in harsh winters, rosemary grows to 2m in height and has spiky aromatic leaves on woody branches. It flowers from early spring through to late summer, depending on species and variety, with small aromatic blooms in pink, white and blue. A sunny site suits it best, with a little protection from cold winter winds. Good drainage is essential. Remove any stems that die back in cold weather and cut back to keep in shape after flowering. Pick leaves as and when needed, but remember that aromatic flavours are at their best before flowering. Take cuttings in summer.

One of my favourites is Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’, a tender trailing or prostrate form with blue flowers. R. officinalis ‘Albus’ is hardy and has white flowers. R. officinalis ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ is very good for a tall rosemary hedge. R. officinalis ‘Silver Spires’ is a re-discovered old rosemary once popular in Tudor times. It has silvery variegated leaves and although attractive I found it hard to keep. I also have a ginger rosemary, with a strong spicy aroma.

Long years ago I learned from US herb grower Thomas DeBaggio how to grow a living rosemary wreath. I must make the effort to do it again one day. It would make a fine festive centrepiece, as would the rosemary salt I made and bottled earlier this year. Now where have I put it…?

Day 10 – Sage

Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a hardy evergreen sub-shrub with aromatic and decorative leaves. Its summer flowers are also attractive and there are forms with blue, pink and white flowers. It grows best in full sun in an open site in well-drained, light soil. Sage plants tend to get leggy and need to be replaced if they become too woody. Take cuttings in spring or mid-autumn or layer branches in situ. Pick leaves as and when you need them for cooking. Sage gives a big wave of flavour to most meat dishes.

Common sage has greyish green leaves. purple or red sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’ has purple-grey leaves, while golden sage (S. officinalis ‘Icterina’) has golden-green leaves. There are many sages that look decorative in the border including S. officinalis ‘Tricolor’ with leaves variegated in purple, pink and white (above). Spanish sage (S. lavandulifolia) has a lavender-like, rather balsamic aroma to its leaves, while the tender pineapple sage (S. elegans) has attractive red flowers. Tangerine sage, so-called for the aroma of its leaves also has a red flower.

Sage was introduced into England in the 16th century and was the herb of choice for tea, wine and stuffings. And it is used to make the marbled Sage Derby cheese.

There is that word officinalis again…. it in Calendula officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis. It shows that this particular species was the standard and the one used by the medicinal herbalists and doctors as the official herb for medicine.

Day 11 – Lemon verbena

Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla syn Lippia citriodora) is another great favourite. This citrus-flavoured herb is a half-hardy deciduous perennial, growing up to a height up to 3m with a spread of 2.5m. The leaves are lance-shaped pale green and strongly lemon-scented. It has terminal panicles of white flowers tinged with lilac. It grows well in full sun in a free-draining light soil. I grow two large plants in containers against a sunny wall, and ever-watchful that they don’t get frosted. So far so good!

A good deep mulch will keep the plant safe in milder climates; in colder climates pot the plant up and over-winter in a frost-free greenhouse. Grow from seed or softwood cuttings in spring. Cuttings from ripened wood can be taken in the late summer.

I use the leaves as a tisane last thing at night to help sleep, to scent vinegars or ice-cream or dried in pot-pourri and herb-pillows.

Day 12 – Winter and summer savory

It is a winter and summer situation with winter savory (Satureja montana – shown above) and summer savory (Satureja hortensis) or the bean herb as it is also known.