how rosemary bridges old memories and new gardens
Every time I brush past my rosemary bush, I’m swept back to my grandmother’s kitchen. She’d snip a sprig, rub it between her fingers, and let the scent fill the air—her secret for Sunday roasts. Back then, growing rosemary meant tradition and family, a living memory in the backyard. But these days, I see my neighbors using rosemary in ways that would’ve shocked my grandma: in cocktails, trendy oils, even as ornamental hedges.
It makes me wonder—are we losing the soul of our gardens to modern trends, or just finding new ways to connect? In our North American climate, rosemary’s tough—surviving droughts, thriving in poor soil, but sometimes struggling with harsh winters. Some folks swear by wrapping their bushes in burlap, while others let nature take its course, risking a winter kill for the sake of authenticity.
And then there’s the debate: should we stick to the old ways, passing down recipes and rituals, or embrace the new, letting rosemary become a symbol of change? My community is split—some see rosemary as a link to our roots, others as a blank canvas for creativity. I’d love to hear: do you cherish the old, or chase the new? And does your rosemary tell a story, or just fill a space?
#rosemarymemories #gardenconflict #traditionvsinnovation #Gardening
