If you have ever eaten a savory lamb chop, a rosemary-enhanced spaghetti sauce, or grilled seafood on skewers made of the leaf-stripped stems of the rosemary plant, you already understand why rosemary was named the "Herb of the Year" in 2000, and why nearly every kitchen, no matter how sophisticated or how simplistic, has a bottle of rosemary leaves as part of its arsenal.

It is one of the easiest plants to grow, in just about any USDA zone. In the colder regions it should be brought indoors to winter, given strong southern light, well-draining alkaline soil, and not too much water. If grown outdoors, this amazing herb may be planted in a raised bed, or in containers and pots which will make a move inside easier.

If you live in the south, rosemary is a perennial that will provide you with fresh taste year-round. And in these economic times, growing your own herbs will not only be a positive impact on your purse, it will also enliven tired recipes, and help you develop your young ones' palates.

But it is perhaps the history of this herb that makes it a subject of much literature and lore. The ancients were quite familiar with this shrub. Greek scholars wore garlands of rosemary during examinations in order to improve their memories and rejuvenate their spirits.

It was touted by Pliny the Elder (who gave the herb the name rosmarinus, meaning "sea dew") as a cure for bad eyesight, jaundice and miscellaneous wounds. Rosemary was substituted for the more costly incense, and called by its French name, incensier. The Spaniards had a legend that the bush sheltered the Virgin Mary in the holy family's flight into Egypt. She draped her cloak over a rosemary bush, turning the color of the blossoms from white to blue; they called it romero (the Pilgrim's Flower).

It was a common sight for rosemary to be burned in sick chambers (perhaps the strong odor was thought enough to evict the foul fevers), and in contemporary French hospitals it is still burnt in conjunction with juniper berries to purify the air and prevent infection.

Romance surrounds the myth of the rosemary. In the 14th century, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary had a potion made of rosemary and lavender to inflame the passions of the King of Poland, who requested her hand in marriage. She was 72 years of age; he was 26. This miraculous potion became known as Budapest water, and was the modern-day equivalent of a beauty product for women for hundreds of years.

"There is rosemary, that's for remembrance, pray, love, remember." Thus spake Shakespeare's Ophelia. Along with remembrance, rosemary symbolizes loyalty and thus has been long associated with weddings.

So we invoke the power of rosemary in the hope of healing gout, the plague, colds, headaches, dyspepsia, or as a stimulant for memory. We use it in topiaries, potpourri, or bath salts...what more can you ask for in one plant?

Click here for a wonderful rosemary cookie recipe!