Permapotes

Rosemary

Rosemary: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus, is an aromatic evergreen shrub in the mint family. Its former botanical name, Rosmarinus officinalis, is also still used. Native to the Mediterranean region, it combines fragrant foliage with a lasting woody structure. It therefore differs from tender annual herbs: in a garden, rosemary forms a genuine small shrub whose outline matters as much as the usefulness of its leaves in the kitchen.

The leaves are narrow and elongated, with a dark green upper surface and a paler, slightly felted underside. Their shape recalls small needles, although rosemary is not a conifer. They cover branches that become increasingly woody with age. This contrast between fine foliage and robust branches gives rosemary a structural presence in herb gardens. Its evergreen character retains part of the planting’s appearance during periods when other plants lose their leaves, making it visually different from herbs with purely seasonal foliage.

Varieties differ in height and habit. Some are upright and can form shrubs more than a metre tall, while others are low, creeping or trailing. Forms sold as ‘Tuscan Blue’ or ‘Pointe du Raz’ illustrate this diversity. The name rosemary therefore does not describe a single outline. When choosing your plant, its overall size and the shape of the branches provide important reference points, depending on whether you want an upright shrub or growth that spreads and trails.

In the kitchen, the leaves are used fresh or dried to flavour meats, roasted vegetables, potatoes, sauces and marinades. Their distinctive aroma gives many dishes a Mediterranean character. Rosemary also features in flavoured breads and infusions. Its firmer foliage contrasts with the soft leaves of basil or parsley. Its culinary appeal comes mainly from its fragrance, rather than from providing a volume of leaves to form a salad. This makes its role different from that of a leafy salad ingredient.

Flowering brings small flowers, generally blue or violet blue, with white or pink forms depending on the variety. They are visited by bees and other pollinators. Rosemary therefore has aromatic, ornamental and floral appeal. Its cold tolerance varies between varieties and conditions; a Mediterranean origin does not mean suitability for every soil or every winter. Its evergreen outline remains a central feature when considering its place in a garden.

Rosemary
Rosemary
Characteristics
  • Lifecycle : Perennial
  • Exposure : Full Sun
  • Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
  • Cultivation Difficulty : Easy
  • Mature height : 60 cm
Sowing & Planting
  • Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
  • Plant Spacing : 40 cm
  • Row Spacing : 40 cm
Maintenance
  • Maintenance : Low
  • Water Requirements : Low
Other characteristics
  • Soil Type : Sandy
  • Soil pH Preference : Neutral
  • Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Pollination : Insect-pollinated
  • Propagation : Sowing