Jenny - Rosemary

Here are a few sprigs of rosemary from my backyard. These are going to be tossed whole into the roasting pan with tonight's leg of lamb roast (traditional Easter feast in my family).
Rosemary is about the easiest thing that you can grow in Texoma. It's one of the plants (onions and roses also come to mind) that can make some of the blackest thumbs look green. You pretty much put it into the ground, and give it some water once in a while, especially the first year that you plant it.
I admit that I mixed in some garden soil with my black gumbo before planting my rosemary. If you live in the part of Texoma that boasts sandier soil, you may be able to get away with skipping this step. If by "sandy," your soil means "concrete when it's dry," then please mix away. Use your judgment on that one. Once the plant is established, it needs very little from you. Rosemary grows into a densely branched, medium sized, evergreen shrub, so either give it a couple feet in all directions, or plan to prune often. And that brings me to the real magic of rosemary: It can function both as a landscape shrub and as a workhorse plant, spicing up your recipes. Cutting sprigs from this hardy, waterwise shrub takes nothing away from its beauty and adds lovely flavor to potatoes, chicken, lamb, and more.
If you haven't grabbed you a rosemary plant for your garden yet, then get to the nursery. This one's a winner!