Few plants offer such value to the gardener. Chef's Choice rosemary (Rosemary officinalis PP18192) is a four season star featuring aromatic, edible foliage and vivid violet-blue flowers in spring that attracts bees. It has been selected for its dwarf form, higher oil content and spicy flavor making it a favorite with chefs and gardeners alike.
Thriving in well-drained soil and full sun rosemary is deer and rabbit resistant and is extremely drought tolerant. Chef's Choice has the added bonus of being hardier than some of the other varieties.
While clearly earning a place in your kitchen garden Chefs Choice rosemary offers great versatility. Take advantage of its compact mounding habit by using it as a low hedge in the landscape; it would make a delightful and fragrant alternative to boxwood. It works equally well as a container plant combined with other edibles and ornamentals or as a shrub in a drought tolerant mixed border.
Here are two unique combinations to try.
With strong canes, healthy foliage and abundant pure white blooms the floribunda rose Moondance (Rosa ‘Moondance') has much to commend it. A light raspberry fragrance adds to the charm. To enhance the scene and transform it into a four season vignette add a low hedge of alternating Chef's Choice rosemary and tricolor sage (Salvia officinalis‘Tricolor'). The creamy-white splashes on the sage leaves will echo the color of the rose while both herbs will add aromatic, evergreen foliage that can be harvested for the kitchen year round.
The Re-Invented Rose Garden
Although both the sage and rosemary are exceptionally drought tolerant the roses will benefit from more regular watering, something that can easily be designed into a multi- zone irrigation system or by selective hand watering.
Contained Charm
Add Chef's Choice rosemary to a large container and contrast its fine texture by adding bold vertical blades of Black Adder Phormium to the back of the pot. This rich burgundy foliage will also add depth to the blue rosemary flowers. Finish the scene with a froth of simple white alyssum for vanilla scented flowers that will last from spring until fall with minimal care. For winter interest when both temperatures are solar intensity are lower, introduce Green Spice coral bells (Heuchera ‘Green Spice'). The large round green and silver leaves are overlaid with a network deep burgundy veins; the perfect complement to its companions.
