Garden.True.North
  • Blog
  • Classes
  • Picture Gallery
  • Contact

​Garden Stories

​​Garden.True.North is about gardening in Zone 4,

​sharing thoughts, ideas and tips for all northern gardeners.

Rosemary is Sage

11/29/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
This year I managed to bring my Rosemary plant in before it succumbed to the elements and it is now thriving.   When I’m feeling the need for the fresh smell of plants, Rosemary is there and just brushing my hand across the leaves produces that wonderful fragrance. 
 
This summer the entire nursery pot was put into the container with other herbs.  When it came time to bring it inside, I just popped the pot out and brought it in.  Rosemary doesn’t like its roots disturbed.  By keeping it in the same pot on the move from outside to inside, those roots remained happy.  I also cut back the tops by one-third before bringing it inside.  Now it is adding new growth.  
​I was bummed to read a recent article in The Telegraph – a British newspaper – that reported the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has ruled that Rosemary is now a Sage.  To get a bit garden geeky: “it will now be known as Salvia Rosmarinus, rather than Rosmarinus officinalis, but its common name – rosemary – remains unchanged.” It’s been known as Rosmarinus officinalis since 1753.  It isn’t unusual for plants to be moved from one genus (family) to another.  But I can’t imagine some horticulturist sitting around thinking about whether a Rosemary is really a Sage.  And then what kind of process there might be to convince others.  Seems a lot of trouble for not much gain. 
 
Sage just doesn’t have the same cachet as Rosemary.   While Rosemary is a symbol of love, happiness and loyalty; Sage is a symbol of wisdom and immortality.  Rosemary is often put into bridal bouquets; Sage was used in medieval times to cover up the smell of rancid meat!  According to Rosemary Gladstar in her Beginner’s Guide of Medicinal Herbs: “There’s an old adage that where rosemary thrives in the garden, the woman rules the house, but where sage thrives, the man rules.”  Two very different plants I say.
 
But then they do have much in common:  both are considered perennial herbs having medicinal properties, both are used in cooking, the aromatic properties of both are useful in sachets.  The RHS may be on to something in putting them both into the same plant family.  The Society made the change because it was thought the difference in the stamens wasn’t enough to view rosemary and sage as separate plant types.
 
Anyway, be forewarned that when you go looking for Rosemary sometime in the future at your local nursery it may be labeled “Sage”.  Luckily as the alphabet goes – there is not much distance between these two.  
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Classes

    ​
    * Sun Gardens on April 23, 2025 and Shade Gardens on April 29, 2025 at the Hayward Library No registration needed 

    ​Handouts for programs ​are on the ​ "Classes" tab. 
    ***************
    ​Check out my Garden Course catalog if you are interested in  a presentation to your group - Click Here

    Link to North Country Master Gardeners' website

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    December 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    January 2024
    November 2022
    April 2022
    August 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017

    Categories

    All
    Annuals
    Fall
    Garden Events
    Garden Trends
    Garden Visits
    Low Maintenance
    Miscellaneous
    Monthly Calendar
    Perennial & Biennial
    Spring
    Summer
    Travel
    Trees And Shrubs
    Vegetables
    Winter

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog
  • Classes
  • Picture Gallery
  • Contact