Do I Plant Rosemary at the Garden Gate to Welcome Guests?

Traditional Uses Of Rosemary

• Traditionally known as the herb of remembrance, rosemary is symbolic of loyalty, trust and friendship. Rosemary has a long history of use in embalming and is used in floral arrangements at funerals, war commemorative ceremonies and weddings. In aromatherapy, rosemary essential oil is used to relieve headaches, ease anxiety and calm nerves. Rosemary essential oil, applied topically, has proved beneficial in relieving an itchy scalp and promoting hair growth and strength. Taken internally, rosemary is believed to increase menstrual flow, act as an powerful abortifacient (causing miscarriage), relieve indigestion and increase urine flow, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Culinary Seasoning

• Invite guests to your kitchen with the intriguing scent of rosemary. Rosemary is an integral ingredient in food recipes around the world. Rosemary is widely used to complement meat including poultry, pork and lamb. Rosemary is used in salads dressings, sauces, pickles and marinades. Rosemary stimulates the appetite and aids digestion, according to UMMC.

Rosemary Cultivation

• Propagate rosemary from cuttings, layering, root division or from seed. Rosemary can be grown in containers in a sunny kitchen window or planted outdoors in a sunny, sheltered location. They thrive along foundations or at the base of a garden wall with a southern exposure -- a fence flanking a garden gate would do nicely as well. Rosemary prefers fairly dry, well-drained soil. Water when soil is dry to the touch. Rosemary is an evergreen, perennial plant in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 6 through 8. In northern locations plants should be moved indoors in the fall to prevent freezing. There are many different varieties of rosemary including trailing and upright plants. Upright plants can reach up to 8 feet tall at maturity.

Rosemary Companions

• A planting at a garden gate that features rosemary might include aromatic companion plants such as sage and thyme as well as cabbage, beans or carrots, which all benefit from the plant, as rosemary repels bean beetles, carrot flies and cabbage moths. For a more attractive, if somewhat less practical, planting for an entry garden make twin plantings on either side of your gate featuring rosemary and ornamental cabbage, runner beans trained on the fence or arbor over a gate, as well as flowering sage and thyme.