Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’ (Creeping Rosemary)

Also known as Salvia rosmarinus. Aromatic evergreen shrub with silvery needle-like leaves much-exploited in the kitchen for its distinctive aroma and flavour. Essential for the herb garden, and from an architectural point of view (a low-down one) really useful for its cascade-forming habit. Magic when tumbling down a sandy bank on a sun-baked incline where not much else will stick, and extremely atmospheric when frothing out the top of a terracotta jar. It’s really ideal for container growing, so good news for anyone on heavy, claggy soils or with a sunny courtyard or patio that bakes in Summer.

Describing a shrub labelled ‘Prostratus’ as ‘less susceptible to wind damage’ is a bit obvious but in this case we’ll elaborate: a gnarly old mature classic Rosemary is a grand thing indeed, but quite prone to splitting and cracking under strain. We love the uprighty-ones in a sheltered spot. But we love this trailing one just as much: we grow all of our own here on the AP nursery. When it flowers, it’s absolutely covered in them…and when the bees and butterflies find it, it’ll be absolutely covered in them, too.