How to Select Rosemary

Rosemary is a hardy perennial herb. With its woody stems and evergreen needle leaves, rosemary is an excellent landscape plant. Its leaves are used fresh or dry for cooking and crafts. Rosemary lore says the plant brings good elves to the garden and protects against naughty fairies. Bring rosemary to your garden in these easy ways.

Rosemary cuttings
Rosemary plants

Instructions

- 1
  
  Select rosemary for bushes, hedges and containers. Rosemary can be upright or trailing varieties. The varieties have different fragrances and growing habits. Rosemary is easy to grow in most climates. Once the plant is established, it is heat and drought tolerant. Its small flowers may be blue, lavender or pink.
- 2
  Plant rosemary from bedding plants or take a cutting from an existing plant. Established rosemary plants spread out along the ground. Where they touch the ground, the branches often root. Tug gently on a branch and if it seems stuck to the ground, clip the branch off the main plant. Dig up the small rooted area with the branch and plant in the garden to quick-start another rosemary plant.
- 3
  
  Use the rosemary plant as an aromatic evergreen shrub. Plant as an accent shrub or bush. Large rosemary bushes can grow over a few years to be 5 feet high by 5 feet across. The woody branches help it withstand wind and heavy rain. Prune as needed to encourage bushy growth and keep the desired size.
- 4
  Choose an upright rosemary variety for a holiday tree. Plant it in a large container or near an entry. Prune the plant to keep it about 3 feet tall. Decorate it as an outdoor holiday tree with cool holiday lights and unbreakable outdoor decorations.
- 5
  
  Space several rosemary plants in a row for a sturdy year-round hedge. Prune with hedge shears for a tidy appearance. Plant as a property line divider or as a privacy hedge. Rosemary plants can grow 6 to 7 feet tall in a mild or Mediterranean climate.
- 6
  
  Select trailing rosemary for large patio planters. Rosemary branches reach the outside of the planter and then grow down in graceful strands. They share planters well with other container plants. Trailing rosemary is an excellent choice to plant on hillsides as groundcover. It grows along rocks and down retaining walls to soften the appearance of hard surfaces. Remember the words of Sir Thomas More, "As for rosemary, I let it run all over my garden walls, not only because my bees love it but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friendship."

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