Rosemary

Rosemary is the aromatic, evergreen Mediterranean herb that doubles as a landscape shrub, dense, woody, covered in narrow, fragrant, blue-green leaves, and studded with small blue flowers in late winter and spring that attract bees when little else is blooming. It grows two to six feet depending on the cultivar, from prostrate forms that cascade over walls to upright, hedge-forming selections. Native to the Mediterranean Basin, it has been cultivated for millennia for cooking, medicine, and fragrance.

In Western Washington, rosemary thrives in full sun with lean, sharply drained soil. The enemy, as with lavender, is wet winter clay, root rot kills more rosemary than cold. Raised beds, gravel mulch, south-facing slopes, and excellent drainage are the keys to long-term survival. 'Arp' and 'Hill Hardy' are among the most cold-tolerant cultivars. Prostrate forms like 'Prostratus' are less hardy and need the warmest microclimates. No significant disease or pest concerns are tracked when drainage is right. For an aromatic, evergreen, pollinator-friendly shrub that also seasons your cooking, rosemary earns double duty in the garden.