🌿 Rosemary

Rosemary is a bold, aromatic evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves and blue spring flowers beloved by bees. It thrives in sun and poor, dry soil, and it grows for years with little attention, making a handsome hedge or specimen in a pot.

Upright forms grow to 1.5 m, while prostrate types trail over walls. It is hardy in most of the UK, though young plants need protection in cold winters and wet soil can kill it. In cold gardens, grow it in a pot that can be moved to shelter.

Varieties to try

Miss Jessopp’s Upright (tall, hardy, good for hedges)Prostratus (trailing, for walls; less hardy)Tuscan Blue (upright, large leaves)Sudbury Blue (hardy, deep blue flowers)Severn Sea (arching, compact, blue flowers)

Buy a plant or take cuttings, as seed is slow and unreliable. Plant from March to October in full sun in free-draining soil; add plenty of grit to clay or heavy soil, or plant in raised beds or pots. Space plants 60–90 cm apart.

To take cuttings, snip 10 cm non-flowering shoots in summer, strip the lower leaves, and insert into pots of gritty compost. They root in about 4–8 weeks. Water in new plants until established, then they are very drought-tolerant.

Top tips

• Plant in sharp-draining soil.
• Take cuttings in summer.
• Choose a sheltered, sunny site.
• Use a gritty compost in pots.

Water sparingly: rosemary prefers dry conditions, and wet roots in winter are the main cause of death. Don’t feed. Prune lightly after flowering in late spring to maintain shape, cutting back soft new growth but never into old, leafless wood, which rarely regrows.

In cold areas, protect potted plants with fleece or bring them under cover in severe weather. Rosemary beetle, a shiny metallic green-and-purple insect, feeds on leaves; pick it off by hand. Replace very old woody plants every 8–10 years.

Top tips

• Never overwater.
• Prune lightly after flowering.
• Protect pots in severe cold.
• Pick off rosemary beetles.

Watch out for

Rosemary beetleRoot rot in wet soilFrost damageHoney fungus

Harvest sprigs year-round by cutting the top 10 cm of stems, taking from different parts of the plant to keep the shape. Don’t cut into old wood. The flavour is strongest in early summer, and flowers are edible and pretty in salads.

For drying, cut longer stems before flowering and hang in a warm, airy spot. Light picking in the first year helps plants establish. Regular harvesting keeps plants compact and bushy.

Top tips

• Cut the top 10 cm of stems.
• Pick from around the plant.
• Hang stems to dry.
• Use the flowers in salads.

Use rosemary with roast lamb, chicken, potatoes, focaccia, tomato sauces, and roasted root vegetables. The needles are tough, so chop finely, or use whole sprigs and remove before serving. Woody stems make aromatic skewers for kebabs. Infuse it in olive oil, vinegar or sugar.

Fresh rosemary keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge wrapped in damp paper, and freezes well on the stem. Dry stems keep their flavour for a year in a jar. Rosemary salt and oil are lovely gifts.

Top tips

• Use woody stems as skewers.
• Chop finely or use whole sprigs.
• Freeze on the stem.
• Infuse in olive oil.