Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) earns its place twice over: a hard working evergreen shrub to about 1.5m tall and 1.5m wide, and a kitchen herb you will pick from every week. Narrow aromatic leaves cover the plant year round, small blue to purple flowers open through the cooler months, and it survives on rainfall once established. It is also safe around pets.

Why you'll love it

• Edible and ornamental at once. Cut sprigs for the kitchen all year while the plant works as a structural evergreen shrub.
• It thrives on being ignored. Drought, heat and salt tolerant and content in poor soil. Rich soil and frequent watering do it harm.
• Clips into shape. It takes trimming well, so it works as a low hedge, a ball or a formal path edge.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and the winter flowers feed bees when little else is out.

Where it works best

Low hedging. Plant 60cm apart in a single row for a hedge held at 60cm to 1m. At that spacing the plants knit together in two seasons without crowding each other into bare stems.

Borders and topiary. The same spacing gives a fragrant evergreen path edge, and the fine dense growth makes it one of the better herbs for clipped formal shapes.

Pots and coastal gardens. A 400mm pot of gritty mix suits it, and in humid climates a pot is the better option. Salt tolerance also holds a beachside garden where softer shrubs burn.

Growing rosemary in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun all day, with air movement around the plant. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi arid gardens, and it is frost hardy enough for cold southern and tableland winters. In the humid subtropics and tropics it is much shorter lived, because wet summers bring on root rot.

Soil. Free draining and on the lean side, slightly alkaline if you have the choice. On clay, plant on a mound at least 200mm high and use gravel rather than heavy mulch around the stem.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer only, then leave it to the rain except in long dry spells. A light application of complete fertiliser in early spring is plenty, and overfeeding gives soft growth with weaker flavour.

Pruning. Trim after flowering and again in late summer, taking no more than a third of the growth and staying within leafy wood. Rosemary is poor at reshooting from bare old stems.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in four sizes: 140mm pots in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six, 250mm in packs of three, and single 300mm plants. The 140mm and 200mm plants suit a hedge run or a herb bed, while the 250mm and 300mm plants arrive already bushy.

Rosemary travels well because the foliage is tough and resinous, though it may arrive looking dry, which a good soak fixes. Expect new tip growth within three to four weeks in warm months, and give it a fortnight before harvesting heavily. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse edible plants and herbs
• Plants that clip into shape
• Plants that are safe for pets
• A beginner's guide to pruning

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Sixty centimetres apart in a single row. Each plant spreads to about 1.5m if left alone, so that spacing gives a dense low hedge with enough air movement to keep the interior healthy.

Why did my rosemary die suddenly?

Usually root rot from soil that stays wet, particularly through a humid summer. Rosemary would rather be too dry than too wet. Plant on a mound, keep mulch off the stem, and stop watering established plants on a schedule.

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Rosemary is not toxic to cats or dogs, so it can be planted at ground level where pets roam. Most animals leave the strongly scented foliage alone anyway.