Rosemary in the Home

Rosemary or Rosmarinus officinalis

A skin care herb I am loving in my garden, in my home, on my skin, and in my hair. This is a luscious herb I enjoy very much.

My RD book writes this about rosemary...”a reputation for strengthening the memory, it soon became an emblem of fidelity for lovers...etc.” Another book writes that "students wore sprigs of rosemary in their hair while studying, brides wore it to show they’d remember their families, and the dead were buried with it to show they’d not be forgotten".

Most of us are familiar with the culinary aspects of rosemary. There are many recipes written for this herb alone, especially used in meat dishes of lamb and pork, as rosemary aids in the digestion of fats. Rosemary makes awesome herb butter and is delicious in baked potatoes, too. The stems of rosemary are placed on a grill to discourage insects and release a fantastic aroma.

You can also bring in a few fresh branches from the plant to create a wonderful aroma in the air of any room. This is perfect for the bathroom...lovely and aromatic.

I’ve used rosemary all these ways and more. I have placed a few leaves of rosemary in my bath to stimulate my poor blood circulation. It is quite therapeutic in its aroma, I think. It is written that it helps with muscle aches, too.

I know its reputation for eliminating lice and lice egg sacks from the hair. It also seems to impart good health and shine to hair, also. I’ve read it is for dark or red headed people, but I have light headed customers who enjoy it very much.

It is also a strong disinfectant – a good house cleaning essential oil. (I think Pine, Lemon, Rosemary, and Peppermint are the best for this use. A future blog?)

Rosemary can grow in mild to temperate zones with many varieties to choose from. It actually can thrive in a pot and brought indoors during winter. Rosemary does not need a dormancy time. So, most of us could enjoy rosemary year round. If you choose to grow herbs, this should be in the top 5, in my opinion.

My favorite way to enjoy rosemary is just to smell it. I love its fragrance so very much; I can smell this daily and not get headaches from too much aroma.

And, I AM hoping it IS improving my memory, because, as most come to know, I sure do need that.

As always, thanks for reading! :)k