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Prostrate Rosemary

December 8, 2016 Back to Picks >

Prostrate Rosemary is something of a misnomer, since this graceful member of the rosemary genus can develop into mounds measuring three to four feet high and wide. A wonderful example of this exuberance is the specimen that centers the Arbor Gate�s Madalene Hill Herb Garden. By no means should any of the prostrate rosemary varieties be considered �creeping�.

All rosemary requires similar culture: a well-draining soil in a very sunny spot, with full-time air circulation. It can be planted in the ground, preferably in a raised bed, or in a container. But as even Prostrate Rosemary grows rapidly, the container-grown example will need to be moved after two to three years.

Fertilize periodically with a slow-release organic fertilizer like Arbor Gate Blend, and prune judiciously throughout the growing season. Rosemary, like thyme and lavender, will die if hard pruning into woody stems occurs.

Quite a number of cultivars of Prostrate Rosemary exist, but �Blue Lady� is the one that flowers most — its rich blue blooms appear from late fall throughout the winter months. And in the spring, this wonderful rosemary is a true magnet for bees.