Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) is an evergreen upright fragrant herb. Rosemary has been used as a medicinal and culinary herb for millenia and is one of the most aromatic of the Mediterranean herbs. It's thin needle like everygreen leaves can be used fresh or dried for flavouring meats and fish. It will thrive in a sunny well drained soil and without pruning will develop into a large bush and can be used as a fragrant, evergreen, low hedge.
Of course, while undeniably a useful plant, this herb is also grown for its lovely appearance & scented flowers & foliage.The natural growth habit of the Rosmarinus Officinalis is a sprawling bush, but it can be shaped any way you desire, making it quite adaptable. Rosemary produces copious hooded small blue flowers during summer and autumn. The flowers are adored by bees and other pollinators.

Height and Spread of Rosmarinus Officinalis
If not trimmed, Rosemary can grow to be 1.5 to 2.5 metres high and across- over a period of 10 years.

How Hardy is Rosmarinus Officinalis
Rosemary is fully hardy in the UK climate and will tolerate dry conditions as long as it has full sunshine.

How To Use Rosmarinus Officinalis
Apart from its medicinal and culinary uses, Rosemary is a wonderful landscaping plant. Let it grow naturally, without pruning and it will develop into a large bush on its own. In this shrubby form, Rosemary can be used as a fragrant, evergreen, low hedge. Additionally, evergreen Rosemary is a great choice as one of the components of tiered hedging design.

Rosemary can be trimmed and pruned as topiary and grown as small potted trees - ideal for rooftop gardens and balconies. It is an ideal plant for growing in a pot. 

How To Care for Rosmarinus Officinalis
Rosemary will thrive in most conditions, but this shrub prefers poor, well-drained soil and a spot in full sun. Rosemary needs little or no regular pruning.

See also Andromeda Polifolia or Bog Rosemary, particularily useful for wet conditions and the low growing cultivar Rosemary Prostratus Group.