The history of marjoram and oregano are inseparable. It was believed that the Greek God Venus created the plants and gave them their wonderful sweet flavour and scent. The herb was said to the favourite of Arphrodite.

It was said that if you anointed yourself with marjoram you would dream of your future spouse.

The ancients believed that if marjoram grew on a grave it was a sign of the happiness of the departed spirit. Sometimes it was planted at gravesites to comfort the departed and ensure their eternal peace and happiness.

In the Middle Ages, bridal couples wore wreaths of marjoram to symbolise love, honour and happiness. It was commonly carried around in ladies posies and in sweet bags and sometimes strewn around the house as a deodorant . It was worn at weddings for happiness and added to food to nurture love.

It was used in England at one time as an ingredient of snuff. They then decided to put it in their beer, as a preservative and to give an aromatic flavour.

Oregano has been long referred to as wild marjoram, and, in fact, oregano means marjoram in Spanish. However, although the Mediterranean variety of oregano closely resembles and is closely related to marjoram, they are different herbs. In fact much of the marjoram referred to by the ancients was actually oregano.

Botanists used to refer to both plants as Origanum majorana. Now they are referred to as Majorana hortensis, but this name really belongs to the sweet marjoram, which spread throughout Europe from the Mediterranean, but originated apparently from Africa. All very technical and designed to confuse, I think…