Prostrate Rosemary

Set Salvia rosmarinus 'Prostratus' where its stems can spill over a retaining wall, raised bed edge, slope, or the front of a broad, sunny border. It reads best as a low drape rather than a tight edging strip. Keep it on the bed side of paths, with the eventual spread directed away from walking space, and use it where a permanent evergreen groundcover will not interfere with seasonal replanting.^[1][2]

Space plants 3 feet apart, center to center, for a connected planting that can knit into a broad, low cover. Each plant can spread about 4 feet wide, so allow it to overlap open soil or cascade across an edge rather than assigning it a narrow pocket. Along a wall or slope, measure its footprint from the planting line outward and leave the lower landing area clear of smaller plants.

Give prostrate rosemary full sun and excellent drainage from the start. A raised edge, sloping bed, or freely draining wall-side planting keeps its root zone out of prolonged wetness. Once established, it suits low-water areas; avoid placing it beside plants that need frequent irrigation or in a bed designed to hold moisture after rain.^[1][3][4]

Its evergreen foliage gives the bed structure through winter in suitable climates, while harvest can continue from spring into fall. Treat the plant as a year-round occupant when planning gaps between perennials and annual crops. Leave its trailing stems accessible from a path or bed edge so harvest does not require stepping into neighboring plantings.