Will rosemary survive a UK winter?

Yes, in most of the UK if planted in a well-drained sunny spot. Rosemary is rated RHS H4 (−5 to −10°C). It survives the cold; what kills it is waterlogged roots in winter — heavy clay soil holding water around the roots in cold weather. Drainage is the key. Raised beds, gravel gardens, and south-facing walls give the best winter survival.

Why is my rosemary dying?

Almost always waterlogged roots. Rosemary hates cold wet feet — the combination kills more rosemary than frost ever does. Symptoms: browning needles from the bottom up, sudden collapse after a wet spell. Move the plant to a better-drained site, or replace and improve drainage with grit. Other causes: pruning into old bare wood (rosemary rarely regrows from it), or simply the plant having reached its 15–20 year lifespan.

Can I grow rosemary in a pot?

Yes — and it solves the drainage problem for heavy-soil gardens. Use a 30 cm clay pot (clay breathes better than plastic for Mediterranean herbs), peat-free compost mixed with grit, and a south-facing position. Water modestly through summer; let the compost surface dry between waterings. In winter, move to a sheltered spot or unheated greenhouse — pots are less hardy than ground plants because the rootball can freeze through.

How and when should I prune rosemary?

Light prune each spring after flowering (April–May). Shorten last year's growth by a third with secateurs. Never cut back into the woody base — rosemary rarely regrows from old bare wood, and you'll kill the plant. If a plant has become leggy and bare at the base, layer a low branch or take cuttings rather than trying to rejuvenate the original.

What's the best rosemary variety for the UK?

Salvia rosmarinus Miss Jessopp's Upright is the standard UK choice — bigger, hardier, more upright, and longer-lived than the wild-type or prostrate forms. Tuscan Blue is another reliable upright. Avoid prostrate cultivars (Severn Sea and similar) for UK ground planting except in very mild south-coast gardens — they're less hardy and rot more readily.

How do I take rosemary cuttings?

Spring or autumn. Cut 10 cm shoots from non-flowering side-shoots. Strip the lower leaves, dip the base in rooting hormone (optional), push into a pot of gritty multi-purpose compost. Water in; cover loosely with a plastic bag to keep humidity up. Roots in 6–8 weeks. Pot on the following spring.

Romarin

Salvia rosmarinus

Plant rosemary in spring or autumn, ideally as a young plant rather than from seed — seed-raised plants are slow and unpredictable. Rosemary is hardy in most of the UK (RHS H4) but resents wet feet — the commonest cause of dead rosemary is heavy clay in a cold wet winter, not cold itself. Choose a sunny well-drained spot; raised beds and gravel gardens suit it. Salvia rosmarinus 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' is the most reliable UK cultivar — bigger, hardier and more upright than the prostrate forms. Cut stems for cooking year-round. Prune lightly each spring to keep the shape; never cut back into old bare wood, as rosemary rarely regrows from it. A well-sited plant lasts 15–20 years.

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