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.