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YOURWELLNESSSPA 60 DAYSPA | MAY 2016 HERBAL HEALTH © GETTY IMAGES Relishing Rosemary This common garden herb has a myriad of uses, a rich smell and an even richer history. By Rachel Kossman Whether you've rubbed rosemary on poultry prior to roasting, mixed the herb's essential oil into a warm bath, included the plant in your spa's treat- ments or used its fl owering sprigs for decor, you're no doubt familiar with the needle-like leaves of this aromatic evergreen. Rosemary's name, derived from the Latin ros and marinus, translates to "dew of the sea"—and sure enough, the Mediterranean perennial grows abundantly on seaside cliffs. Rosemary is a member of the mint family, and if pruned and planted outdoors, it can grow up to six feet tall. The herb can also be potted and grown indoors, as long as it has access to plenty of natural light. Pale-blue, sometimes lilac, fl owers typically bloom on the evergreen in late spring or early summer, depending on the climate. Although rosemary is considered a common herb—a staple in seasoning racks and home gardens—the plant's history is more deeply rooted than one might realize. AN HERBAL HISTORY Rosemary is referenced in texts that date as far back as 79 AD. Romans brought the plant to England in the eighth century, the Spaniards cultivated it soon thereafter, and by the 1400s the herb had become popular as a meat preservative and seasoning. "Where rosemary fl ourishes, the woman rules," is an old saying that alludes to the common practice of medieval house- wives cultivating the plant on their properties. Because of its association with memory and affec- tion, rosemary has been a part of both weddings and funerals throughout human history. Brides in the 11th and 12th centuries frequently wore wreaths entwined with rosemary stems to symbolize love, fi delity and abiding friendship. In the mid-1500s, Anne of Cleves, fourth wife of Henry VIII, wore a rosemary wreath at their wedding, and the royal couple presented a gilded branch to each of their guests. Conversely, Ancient Egyptians lay rosemary across their tombs, Shakespeare's Juliet was buried with the herb, and participants in Anzac Day, an Australian and New Zealand remembrance holiday, often wear rose- mary on their lapels. Robert Herrick, a 17th-century English poet, refers to the plant's paradoxical symbolism in "The Rosemarie Branch:" "Grow for two ends—it matters not at all; Be't for my bridall, or my buriall."