This has been quite a summer to remember. Although the memories of months of 100º plus days are beginning to fade with the unexpected cool, cloudy weather of the first days of Autumn, many of us gardeners had less than spectacular gardens this year. If it wasn't the extreme heat and drought that plagued us here in Texas, it was too much rain and very cool temperatures in the northeast that foiled gardeners' efforts. As Roseanne Roseannadanna would say: "It's always something!"

One plant that performed spectacularly for me this summer is Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis. Even during the driest, most extreme heat, the established plants needed no water. Specimens in large containers were watered about once a week. Rosemary is commonly used as a landscape plant here in South and South Central Texas because it is such a tough plant, is evergreen and puts on tiny little blue flowers throughout the growing season. It can be clipped as a hedge if plants are planted close together or left to grow into its own bushy shape.

Flowering Rosemary


Rosemary Hedge at Tidesong Garden & Bed & Breakfast in New Zealand.

The Prostrate or Creeping variety is very useful as a low growing ground cover, to cascade over a wall, or to plant in a container as the low element in a group planting. Some people say the flavor of the prostrate varieties is not as good as the upright types, but I have not found that to be true.

Prostrate Rosemary grown as a small tree. Photo courtesy of LANDSCAPE FAVORITES FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS Dr. Jerry Parsons

In the kitchen, Rosemary is indispensable. Roast potatoes and other roasted vegetables, chicken, soups and stews all benefit from the flavor of Rosemary. It is a strong herb, however, and should be used with a light touch. Too much Rosemary will overpower other flavors to the detriment of the dish.

I've been experimenting this year with a small distiller I purchased with a neighbor this summer. Since it's such a small apparatus, the Mother Flask is only 1 Liter, we get mostly hydrosols with a little bit of essential oil floating on top.


This is the distiller I've been using from Floragenics.

One of the first distillations we did was with Rosemary.The aroma of the hydrosol is earthy, sweet and pungent. If you're not familiar with the term "hydrosol", according to Jeanne Rose: "She says, 'Hydro' means water and 'sol' means solution. Thus the word hydrosol means the watery solution of the distillation that contains both the water-soluble plant components and micro-drops of essential oil -- the hydrosol."

I wondered what we'd do with the hydrosol, as I hadn't really researched much about them before we acquired the distiller. I have been fascinated by the distilling process ever since I saw a demonstration at a Lavender Conference some years ago. And, even after running several different batches this summer, I'm still amazed at the end product. It's so easy and the result is a useful and wonderfully fragrant, healthful product.

One thing I discovered about the Rosemary Hydrosol, is it's great on the hair. I put it in a spray bottle and now spray it on my hair before brushing. I have longish hair, swim at a treated indoor pool and work in the nursery and my garden in the sun. My hair takes some abuse. But, for the last 2 or so weeks, since I've been using the hydrosol, the ends of my hair are much less dry and split and overall my hair is softer and looks and feels healthier.

According to Jeanne Rose of the Aromatherapy Project, "This (Rosemary Hydrosol) is stimulating both by external application and internal use. This is the rejuvenating and 'holding back old age' hydrosol. It should be taken as a tonic drink, bathed in, used in shampoo or skin care; in other words submerse yourself in Rosemary herb tea, Rosemary herb and hydrosol baths, Rosemary essential oil inhalations." Well, I'm all for "holding back old age"!!

If you're growing Rosemary, be sure to use it in your cooking with a light hand, blend it in tea, but also make a strong tea to put in your bath, use as a spritzer on your hair and face. Rosemary-- it's not just for cooking anymore.

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

Only the educated are free. -Epictetus, philosopher (c. 60-120)