Rosemary ( Salvia rosmarinus ) is one of those magical plants that no garden should be without .

Sweetly aromatic with a engaging flavor , the piney , needle - like leaf are pop for use in beverage and as novel or dry herbs in the kitchen .

The indispensable oils are also wide used in aromatherapy and homeopathic coating for their many powerful properties .

A close up horizontal image of a large rosemary shrub in full bloom with bright blue flowers pictured in a sunny spot.

Photo by Lorna Kring.

The industrial plant are highly cosmetic and their easy - forethought nature makes a welcome , evergreen add-on to many garden preferences from ground covers to conventionalize topiary to fragrant hedgerow .

We link to trafficker to help you regain relevant products . If you corrupt from one of our links , we may take in a commission .

Drought and salt tolerant , these delicate - looking but tough plant shine in xeriscapes or piteous land and make first-class side stabiliser .

A close up vertical image of rosemary in bloom in the garden pictured on a soft focus background. To the center and the bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

Photo by Lorna Kring.

Easily cultivated , they ’re idealistic for container , garden beds , herbaceous plant knots , or kitchen potagers and in a variety of themed options such as urban center , coastal , bungalow , Mediterranean , and rock garden .

to a great extent embellish with cloud of blooms in spring and early summer , after a abbreviated rest , a lighter show of flowers returns in midsummer and continue through fall and winter where climates are mild .

The pretty , tubular flowers of downhearted , rosy mauve , or white are also edible and draw in masses of bees , butterfly , and other pollinators with their rich sources of nectar and pollen .

A close up vertical image of a rosemary shrub growing in a blue ceramic container out on the deck.

So if your garden is ready for an redolent , low - alimony , and highly utile repeated herbaceous plant , let ’s check out some different type to find ones that act upon best for you .

Here are my favorite rosemary selection :

Best Rosemary Varieties

1 . Arp

2 . Baby PJ

3 . Barbecue

A close up horizontal image of a lush rosemary shrub growing in a rockery.

4 . Benenden Blue

5 . Blue Boy

6 . Blue Spires

A vertical image of ‘Arp’ rosemary growing in the herb garden.

7 . Chef ’s selection

8 . Golden rainfall

9 . Gorizia

A square image of a compact ‘Baby PJ’ rosemary shrub in a rock garden.

10 . Huntington Carpet

11 . Madeline Hill

12 . Prostratus

A close up of the foliage of ‘Barbecue’ rosemary growing in the garden.

13 . Tuscan bluish

A long - lived woody herb , there are two introductory types of Rosmarinus officinalis , those that grow unsloped and those with prostrate or ground - hugging emergence .

But even the just mixture are n’t diffident about sending ramification down to the ground looking for places to root .

A close up horizontal image of ‘Benenden Blue’ growing in the summer garden.

S. rosemarinusprefers skimpy , poor grease , with a gritty or sandlike texture in a full sunlight location and theymusthave tight , sharp drain . Soggy or wet soil typically results in lackluster maturation or problem like root rot .

All varieties have undecomposed drouth leeway once established and make a superb choice for H2O - wise locations . They also tolerate table salt , making rosemary a smart choice for seaside gardens .

For the most vivacious growth plus intense fragrance and flavor , void overfertilizing and overwatering .

A close up of the flowers of a ‘Blue Boy’ shrub in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

Rosemary also respond well to pruning . Prune to preclude leggy growth and keep plants dense and lush , and cut back by one - third every three to five years .

you’re able to find more entropy about cultivation inour template to growing rosemary .

Native to the Mediterranean and percentage of Eurasia , traditional diversity are typically stout only in USDA Zones 8 to 11 , but more recent hybrids feature improve cold hardiness making them suited for cultivation down to Zone 6 .

A close up square image of ‘Blue Spires’ rosemary growing in the garden.

In colder climates , develop rosemary in containersand move into a freeze - free situation for winter .

get ’s take a facial expression at 13 of the beneficial varieties to grow at home :

A cold - hardy miscellanea , ‘ Hans Arp ’ sport unsloped , unfastened growth with attractive ear of narrow , grey-headed - green leaves and clusters of scented , bright drear flowers in mid spring to other summer .

A square image of a potted Chef’s Choice rosemary shrub set outside on a gravel surface.

‘ Arp ’

This cultivar grows three to four feet tall and wide and make a proficient choice for beds , low barriers , cozy hedges , and in coastal , cottage , courtyard , and rock candy gardens .

Hardy in Zones 7 to 10 .

A close up horizontal image of ‘Gorizia’ rosemary growing in the garden.

Plants in four - inch gage areavailable at Burpee .

A compact , miniature variety , ‘ Baby PJ ’ is adorable with respectable stems , minuscule forest green needles , and clouds of pallid blue flowers in late outflow .

‘ sister PJ ’

A close up horizontal image of ‘Huntingdon Carpet’ growing in the garden with very light blue flowers.

Growing only six inches tall with a 12 - inch spread , it ’s a charming pick for borders , containers , edge , kitchen potagers , and rockeries . Hardy in Zones 7 to 10 .

Plants in two - and - a - half - inch pots areavailable at Walmart .

A selection value for its delectable sapidity and fragrance , plus deal of aromatic , light blue efflorescence from other summer through crepuscle , ‘ Barbecue ’ also features firm , straight stems that are ideal for exercise as barbecue skewer !

A square image of a rounded ‘Hill Hardy’ rosemary shrub growing in a garden border.

‘ Barbecue ’

Fast growing and upright with a superlative of five to six foundation and distribute of two to four foot , ‘ Barbecue ’ makes a double-dyed evergreen hedge or privacy screen . Hardy in zone 8 to 10 .

Beautiful as a kitchen herb or garden ornamental , ‘ Benenden blue-blooded ’ features delicate foliage on long stems and an abundance of abstruse racy bloom in natural spring , with weak flowering throughout the yr .

A close up of the foliage of ‘Prostratus’ rosemary growing in the garden.

With a height and width of two - to - three feet , this drought - tolerant , bushy bush is a natural for low barrier , herbaceous plant knots , cottage and court garden , or for erosion control on Sir Joseph Banks and slopes . Hardy in Zones 8 to 10 .

Prized for its compact , mounding pattern and foresighted flowering time , ‘ Blue son ’ is a fine-looking miniature cultivar that ’s pop for border , container , edging , and potagers .

The small phonograph needle and bright sorry bloom are sweet redolent and plant are highly floriferous in spring .

A close up square image of ‘Tuscan Blue’ growing in the garden pictured in bright sunshine.

‘ Blue Boy ’ grows one to two feet tall with a two to three feet circulate and is stalwart in Zones 8 to 11 .

Upright and densely branched , ‘ Blue Spires ’ has fragrant grey-headed - gullible foliation and passel of clear blue bloom throughout spring with a lighter sprinkling of blooms year around .

Distinctly redolent , plant grow four to five feet magniloquent with a spread of two to three feet . The foliation is very pop as a kitchen herb .

A close up horizontal image of a large rosemary shrub growing outside a residence, in full bloom.

‘ Blue Spires ’

wanton to prune , ‘ Blue Spires ’ makes an attractive evergreen hedge , screen , or topiary specimen . This cultivar is suitable for refinement in Zones 6 to 10 .

fledgeling - sized container plant areavailable via Walmart .

A thick variety , Chef ’s Choice ® aka ‘ Roman Beauty ’ sports beautiful gullible and silver leafage with vivacious blue flowers in natural spring .

It has a high oil content with rich flavor that ’s appreciate in the kitchen .

Chef ’s Choice ®

The dumbly mounding plant grow one to two feet tall with a one - foot spread and are ideal for borders , containers , border , potagers , and rock gardens . Hardy in Zones 7 to 10 .

Plants in # 1 container areavailable from Nature Hills Nursery .

For something a small unlike , ‘ prosperous Rain ’ has bright chicken foliage in the cool seasons of early spring and late fall , which turn a bass , sorry green as temperature warm up .

anthesis extravagantly in spring , this mid - sized cultivar get three foot grandiloquent and blanket and take a shit a pretty add-on to beds , containers , and city , bungalow , or rock gardens . Hardy in Zones 8 to 10 .

A beautiful cultivar with just growth and blue greenish - greyish needle that are broad and chubby – typically twice the size of other cultivar .

The foliation features a sweet piney aroma with a lead of peppiness to the flavor .

The light racy blossom are abundant from late outpouring through summer on plant life that maturate three to five feet tall and wide .

An attractive option for herbaceous plant , coastal , and courtyard garden or as an informal hedge , plus the brawny stem make good grilling skewers . Hardy in zone 8 to 10 .

A fast growing prostrate variety with thick , impenetrable foliage , ‘ Huntington Carpet ’ have wan blue prime in saltation and summer with bright green leaf that ’s idealistic as an redolent spreading earth cover .

Plants grow up to two feet tall and spread as much as eight feet , making this cultivar a top alternative as a trawl in planters or tumbling over retaining walls , and as attractive erosion control on banks and incline . Hardy in geographical zone 8 to 10 .

A compact diverseness with upright maturation , ‘ Madeline Hill ’ aka ‘ Hill Hardy ’ blooming from former saltation into summer with clusters of soft blue flowers on spire of cryptical green needles .

‘ Madeline Hill ’

grow three to four foot marvellous and two to three foot spacious , this goodly flora is well - suited for mixed bed , low hedges , herb knot , planters , and tilt gardens .

‘ Madeline Hill ’ is hardy in Zones 6 to 11 .

Herbs in one - gallon containers areavailable at My Perfect Plants .

A low - grow , cringe variety , ‘ Prostratus ’ has powerfully sweet obscure green needles with clusters of clear blue flower in spring and summertime .

‘ Prostratus ’

Plants grow one to three groundwork tall and spread up to three base making this cultivar a utile choice as a ground book binding or incline stabilizer , or for cascade over keep on walls and from planters .

Hardy in Zones 8 to 11 .

Flavorful and aromatic , ‘ Tuscan Blue ’ is densely furcate , with sturdy arching root of olive - grey needles that are cut across in cloud of bright blue bloom in spring , with a scant rosiness through summertime , fall , and winter .

‘ Tuscan Blue ’

The strong , upright growth draw ‘ Tuscan Blue ’ a classic for hedges , herbaceous plant knots , and topiary , with plants maturate five to six metrical unit grandiloquent and disperse two to four feet . Hardy in Zones 8 to 10 .

Plants in # 1 and # 5 container areavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .

Wonderfully Versatile

When deciding what case of Rosmarinus officinalis is best for your garden , keep in mind the size , increment habits , and cold validity of each cultivar .

The miniature types are stocky and tidy , an ideal choice for mete , containers , border , and rockeries .

stock sized plants are impressive alternative for hedges , specimens , and topiary , and the prostrate motley make superb ground cover or slope stabilizers .

Whatever rosemary diversity you take , you ’ll sleep together their showy , low - sustainment , and magic nature !

And formore information about civilise rosemary , have a expression at these guides next :

Photos by Lorna Kring © postulate the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photos via Burpee , Nature Hills Nursery , Perfect Plants Nursery , and Walmart . Uncredited picture : Shutterstock .

About

Lorna Kring