The popularity of rosemary in antiquity and the Middle Ages cannot be matched by any other plant. It was dedicated to the goddess Venus. The Romans adorned the heads of their household gods with rosemary garlands and this ancient custom was carried over into medieval times, but in a different form - the boar's head was always decked with a wreath of rosemary at the Christmas feast.
The blue-green foliage as well as the seeds were used, not only to flavour salads, vegetable omelettes and sauces served with fish, but also to treat various diseases. It was used as an antidote against poisons and to banish evil spirits. An unknown writer of the 6th century B.C. recommends: 'for the malady called lethargy, which is forgetfulness, take the herb rue, rinse it in vinegar and lay it on the brow'. In the Middle Ages it was used in making herb wines, hence the German name Weinraute.
Sage was used in combination with ginger and bay leaf to flavour wine and by itself in preparing water for washing the hands at the table during banquets.
Rosemary is an evergreen shrub reaching a height of 2 m (6 ft). It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is readily damaged by frost so should be planted in a sheltered position in the garden. It can be grown in pots and put indoors in a light, cool room or conservatory for the winter.
Sage is a Mediterranean sub-shrub, native to the area extending from Dahnatia to Macedonia. The best quality sage is from the Yugoslav coast where it covers slopes up to altitudes of 1,800 m (5,760 0). There are many varieties of sage grown on the Continent and in America. Propagation is by seed in early spring or late autumn.
The greenish-yellow flowers (1) are followed by green, lobed capsules (2). It is easy to grow in the garden, being propagated either by seed or by cuttings. Frequent cutting back of the non-woody parts will promote growth of lush foliage. The top parts should be dried at a temperature of less than 35C (95F), a process that takes as long as 8 days, and the leaves then stripped from the stems.
The blue-green foliage as well as the seeds were used, not only to flavour salads, vegetable omelettes and sauces served with fish, but also to treat various diseases. It was used as an antidote against poisons and to banish evil spirits. An unknown writer of the 6th century B.C. recommends: 'for the malady called lethargy, which is forgetfulness, take the herb rue, rinse it in vinegar and lay it on the brow'. In the Middle Ages it was used in making herb wines, hence the German name Weinraute.
Sage was used in combination with ginger and bay leaf to flavour wine and by itself in preparing water for washing the hands at the table during banquets.
Rosemary is an evergreen shrub reaching a height of 2 m (6 ft). It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is readily damaged by frost so should be planted in a sheltered position in the garden. It can be grown in pots and put indoors in a light, cool room or conservatory for the winter.
Sage is a Mediterranean sub-shrub, native to the area extending from Dahnatia to Macedonia. The best quality sage is from the Yugoslav coast where it covers slopes up to altitudes of 1,800 m (5,760 0). There are many varieties of sage grown on the Continent and in America. Propagation is by seed in early spring or late autumn.
The greenish-yellow flowers (1) are followed by green, lobed capsules (2). It is easy to grow in the garden, being propagated either by seed or by cuttings. Frequent cutting back of the non-woody parts will promote growth of lush foliage. The top parts should be dried at a temperature of less than 35C (95F), a process that takes as long as 8 days, and the leaves then stripped from the stems.
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