It's cultivated for its slender, spiky leaves, dark green on the upper side and silvery white on the lower. Golden-hued rosemary is noted for it particularly fine and full flavour.

Once picked, store fresh rosemary in the fridge - they'll keep well for around a week.

In the kitchen
Best used fresh, sprigs are often used to flavour meats, especially lamb, during roasting. It's also good with poultry, turkey, sausages, and fish - especially red mullet and snapper.

Try tossing rosemary sprigs in the roasting tin with root vegetables while they cook. Potatoes and rosemary is a classic pairing.

Popular in Italian cooking, it's best to chop rosemary leaves before adding to sauces and pastas. Dried rosemary, tends to develop a musty flavour - if you can, go for fresh.

Toss a few fresh rosemary sprigs onto glowing coals on a barbecue for adding an intriguing fragrance. You can even use the woody branches as skewers.