The Arbor Gate’s monthly ‘Herb Picks’ for 2014 honor the memory of Madalene Hill and celebrate her pioneering work in bringing herbs to all the gardeners of the Gulf South (and beyond). Each month’s herb is closely associated with Madalene.

February 2014 marks the fifth anniversary of the dedication of the Madalene Hill Herb Garden at The Arbor Gate.

She was our teacher, mentor, and friend.

This highly prized Italian rosemary was introduced in the fall of l986 by well-known herb expert Thomas DeBaggio of Arlington, Virginia. Large, broad, fragrant dark green leaves and a decidedly upright shape with good, sturdy growth make this rosemary a garden standout. Gorizia ‘s strong upright stems make good skewers for the grill, and its mild flavor made this one of Madalene’s favorite rosemaries for culinary uses.

Gorizia does best in full sun but it will tolerate partial shade. The plant prefers a well-drained soil and has some drought tolerance, thus it shouldn’ t be over-watered. This stunning rosemary provides considerable winter interest in the garden and blooms with pinkish to medium blue flowers repeatedly during spring and summer. It usually attains 4 to 5 feet in height and maintains an almost columnar upright form, as opposed to more shrubby varieties.

Rosemary Culture: A rewarding plant to grow, rosemary has few problems. It needs excellent drainage; though full sun is desirable, rosemary can tolerate a considerable amount of high shade. Since it has many tiny, shallow roots, rosemary is sensitive about water – neither too much nor too little, as starving for water causes it to wilt. Heavy mulching will help it survive cold spells and also the high heat of summer. Prune dead or damaged portions in early spring.