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Rosemary

Herbs

Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

An evergreen Mediterranean herb that earns its space all year with fragrance, flavour and resilience.

PerennialDrought tolerantEvergreen
Awaiting restock

Plants are grown on a small scale. The exact supplied size and format can vary with the season; when this item is available, the current sale details are shown here.

This plant is currently awaiting restock.
LifecyclePerennial (evergreen; long-lived with good drainage and shelter)
PositionFull sun (sheltered position preferred)
SoilFree-draining soil is essential. It prefers a sunny, relatively lean position to wet, rich winter ground.
Garden sizeUpright, woody shrub reaching 60–150 cm tall, spreading gradually with age
ContainerVery well suited to container growing (minimum 30 cm diameter); pots allow winter protection and excellent drainage
Historic erasMedieval

Why it belongs in a forgotten garden

Rosemary — the story

Why grow it?

A familiar plant included for a good reason: evergreen, intensely aromatic, drought tolerant once established and useful twelve months of the year.

History & context

An evergreen mainstay of ancient and medieval gardens, Rosemary has long been valued for its fragrance, flavour, and symbolism. Native to the Mediterranean, it was carried north through trade and cultivation, where it became a cherished household plant despite cooler climates. Hardy, aromatic, and deeply associated with memory and protection, Rosemary earned its place close to the home.

Explore its place in Medieval garden history.

Growing guide

How to grow Rosemary

Soil & position

Free-draining soil is essential. It prefers a sunny, relatively lean position to wet, rich winter ground.

Light: Full sun (sheltered position preferred)

Water

Water while establishing, then sparingly. Established rosemary handles drought far better than waterlogging.

Propagation

Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer or soft cuttings earlier in the season. Seed is possible but slower and less uniform.

Sowing referenceSow Feb–Apr with warmthDepth: 5 mm • Cold treatment: No

Ongoing care

Trim lightly after flowering to keep shape, but avoid cutting hard into very old leafless wood.

From garden to kitchen

Harvesting & eating it

When to harvest

Sprigs can be harvested all year, with the softest growth in spring and summer.

Take short non-flowering shoots as needed throughout the year. Regular light trimming keeps the plant bushy; avoid severe cuts into old leafless wood.

What is edible?

Leaves and flowers.

Flavour & cooking

Strongly aromatic with a warm, pine-like flavour, Rosemary is used fresh or dried to season vegetables, breads, meats, and oils. Young shoots are more tender, while mature leaves provide intense flavour when used sparingly.

Food value

Used in small quantities as a strongly flavoured herb. Culinary value is aroma rather than bulk nutrition.

Traditional medicinal uses, where mentioned in the historical material, are included as history rather than medical advice.

Kitchen idea

Crisp rosemary roast potatoes

Simple, but still one of the clearest reasons to keep an evergreen rosemary plant close to the kitchen.

You’ll need

  • 1 kg floury potatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil or goose fat
  • 4 rosemary sprigs
  • 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp flaky salt
  • Black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan with a roasting tray inside.
  2. Parboil peeled potato chunks for 8 minutes, drain and roughen the edges.
  3. Toss carefully with hot oil or fat, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper.
  4. Roast for 45–55 minutes, turning twice, until deeply crisp.
  5. Pick out any overly dark rosemary stems and serve immediately.

How tough is it?

Resilience, pests & garden value

Resilience

Drought tolerant and long-lived, Rosemary thrives in poor, free-draining soils and benefits from minimal intervention. While sensitive to prolonged wet and cold, it rewards good positioning with years of dependable growth, making it a cornerstone plant for sunny gardens and containers.

Pests & practical problems

Winter wet and poor drainage cause more losses than pests. Rosemary beetle can chew leaves and flowers; inspect plants and remove beetles where practical.

Wildlife value

Flowers are excellent early-season forage for bees.

Growing in a container

Very well suited to container growing (minimum 30 cm diameter); pots allow winter protection and excellent drainage

Container plants generally need more frequent watering and feeding than the same plant in open ground.

Ready to grow it?

Rosemary

Plants are grown on a small scale. The exact supplied size and format can vary with the season; when this item is available, the current sale details are shown here.

Awaiting restock

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