Huntington Carpet Rosemary

Huntington Carpet Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Huntington Carpet') is the prostrate rosemary to plant where you want a groundcover you can also cook with. It stays under 400mm tall and spreads to about 2m, spilling over walls and rock edges in a dense aromatic mat. Small blue flowers appear through the cooler months, the leaves go straight into the kitchen, and it needs no watering once established.

Why you'll love it

• Groundcover and herb in one. The same planting that covers a bank gives you cooking rosemary all year round.
• Aromatic when brushed. Planted beside a path or spilling over a wall, it releases scent whenever someone walks past.
• Genuinely dry and poor soil tolerant. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, salt tolerant and content in thin rocky ground.
• Safe around pets and good for bees. Rosemary is not toxic to cats or dogs, and the blue flowers are worked hard by bees through winter.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a dense groundcover, which is one plant per square metre. At that spacing the plants meet in about two seasons.

Retaining walls and slopes. This is its best use. Planted along the top of a wall it cascades over the face, and on a batter the woody framework holds the surface while the roots go down.

Rockeries and coastal gardens. Gravel gardens, hot rockeries and exposed coastal beds all suit it, and salt air causes it no trouble at all.

Growing Huntington Carpet Rosemary in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open air movement. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid gardens, and it is frost hardy. It is not a plant for the wet tropics or for humid subtropical summers, where the crown rots and the foliage goes grey and sparse.

Soil. Free draining, neutral to alkaline, and lean. Sand, gravel and limestone soils are ideal. On clay, or in a bed that stays damp, plant high on a mound and mulch with gravel rather than bark.

Water and feed. Water weekly for the first summer, then only in extended dry weather. Do not feed it beyond a light dressing of compost every second spring. Rich soil and regular fertiliser make soft, floppy growth with far less scent and flavour.

Pruning. Trim lightly after flowering each year, taking no more than a third and staying in the green growth. Rosemary is reluctant to reshoot from bare wood, so a plant left unpruned for years cannot be renovated and is better replaced.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are grown: tube stock, and 140mm plants in packs of ten. For covering a bank the pack of ten is the practical unit, since 1m spacing means ten plants cover about ten square metres once grown. Tube stock is the cheapest way to plant a large area and it catches up within two seasons.

Rosemary travels well, though a young plant may look a little tired and smell strongly when you open the box. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Water it in, then be sparing: overwatering a newly planted rosemary accounts for more losses than drought ever does. Expect real spread in the second season and full cover by the third. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete rosemary care guide
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Plants for retaining walls and slopes
• Explore the edible plant range

Common questions

Can I actually cook with it?

Yes. It is culinary rosemary with the same flavour as the upright forms, simply growing sideways instead. Pick sprigs from the newer growth and the plant bushes up where you cut.

How many plants do I need per square metre?

One, at the 1m spacing we recommend. On a large slope you can stretch to 1.2m and accept an extra season before the ground closes over.

Is it safe for dogs and cats?

Yes. Rosemary is not toxic to cats or dogs, which makes it a sensible groundcover in a garden the dog actually uses.