I’m a bit late, but I did want to show off my 25 rosemary plants (on the left, below), which grew from cuttings that I took from a single big old plant that was in the garden when we arrived here.
(Especially since the gardener expressed grave doubts at the time that they would root and grow.)
The photo above shows the passage between the vegetable garden on the left and the cutting garden on the right, walking toward the south end of the upper lawn.
By the way, that huge, dark green tree in the upper left corner is what your potted weeping fig would look like over time — in the ground, in a constantly warm climate.
I started the cuttings about 18 months ago.* Now the plants are 2′ to 3′ tall,
except at the very end, on the left above. Those plants — which will finish out the row — are about 6 months old.
Above, on the left, is the mother plant. Just to the right of it is a little patch of alpine strawberries, which I grew from a packet of seeds.
I divided them recently, so they look a bit skimpy. The tiny fruit does have a more pronounced and almost perfume-y taste, compared with larger strawberries.
As I am giving you a couple of my success stories, I should also show you the flip side — above.
This is the one Rudbeckia hirta or black-eyed Susan to germinate out of an entire packet of seeds — a plant that has a reputation for generous self-seeding. I have big hopes for it, though. It’s a pretty showy native American plant.
Thanks to Pam at Digging, who hosts Garden Bloggers’ Foliage Follow Up on the 16th of every month. Click here and see what’s happening in other gardens.
*I cut pieces that were a little or not quite woody, stripped the ends of leaves, and stuck them in a slightly sunken, slightly shaded place. Then, I kept the ground there damp for a few months. After I transplanted them, I was also careful to water the new plants almost daily for a few weeks.
enclos*ure 
It must be wonderful to brush against the plants as you walk by. I am trying to keep my rosemary plant alive indoors. So far, so good.
I can smell them for hours after I come in from working in the vegetable garden — maybe because the plants are still so young.
In my Washington area garden, I had a nice big rosemary by the side door for a few years — then we had a bad winter and that was the end of it.
My “mother plant” here looks like it’s at least 5 years old. Several months after we arrived, the gardener dug two trenches on either side of it to show me how it was dying from insects — and could he have some poison. I said no, they just looked like ants and maybe a few termites. He’s always disappointed that I won’t buy insecticide, so he just left the holes. Finally, I went out, cut off the one dead branch, and filled in the holes. The plant is still going strong, even if it leans to one side.
I would love a rosemary hedge….
It is a rather romantic idea.
I’ve been a little surprised myself how well these plants have done, given how damp it gets here during the rainy seasons — but we do have good free-draining soil (nice now, less so in January when the rain stops).
I love rosemary too, and it’s used as a shrubby landscaping plant regularly here in Austin. Smells so good!
It really does!
Plus you can make great pasta:
4 Tbs butter (or less if you want)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly mashed
2 tsps. fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 tsp. dried) [I often use more]
3/4 lb. bacon, cut in narrow strips
1 lb. penne pasta
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Saute the garlic in 3 Tbs. butter til golden, then discard the cloves. Add the rosemary and then the bacon to the butter; sauté until bacon is colored but not crisp. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss, then toss again with the rest of butter and the cheese. (Serves 4-6, from Marcella Hazan)
I wouldn’t be without Rosemary and how lovely to have a hedge of it. Which is it? I love ‘Tuscan Blue’ as it seems to make nice compact plants. I also have a pink one one ‘Roseus’ which is a bit different but then perhaps Rosemary is supposed to be blue. I suppose most of us get Rosemary from cuttings from a friend’s garden so we don’t know which variety we have.. What a lovely garden you have and how wonderful to be able to grow so many tender plants.
Chloris
Unfortunately, I have no idea what variety my rosemary is. It does have blue flowers sometimes. Thanks for visiting.
Your rosemary looks splendid! I love all herbs, I had a couple of pots in Majorca and I am looking forward to have some in London when spring comes.
How wonderful to be in London! Especially when the weather improves a bit.