Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody shrub growing up to 1.8 m tall but normally it grows about 1 metre tall here in the UK; a very hardy plant living up to 20 years. The plant originates from the Mediterranean and it is very tolerant to drought. The name Rosemary comes from Latin rosmarinus which means the dew of the sea; as in the Mediterranean near the sea the plants survive on the humidity alone. Rosemary is a wonderful herb that is popular as both a garden herb and a culinary favourite. Unfortunately for those who live in the cooler zones (zone 6 and lower), rosemary is not winter hardy so it has to be treated as an annual or you have to bring the herb inside for the winter and try to keep it alive – which is not easy. For those who have problems keeping rosemary alive from one year to the next, and those who like to have lots of rosemary in the garden, growing the rosemary from seed each year is a practical option.
