If you need a tough shrub that still looks elegant, Coastal Rosemary is a fantastic choice. Also known as Australian Rosemary, this compact, rounded evergreen shrub has small, narrow, grey-green leaves arranged in whorls around the stems—reminiscent of culinary rosemary but softer and more silvery. The undersides are covered in a dense white felt, adding subtle colour variation. From spring through summer (and often sporadically all year in mild climates), it bears an abundance of small, delicate, tubular flowers in white to pale lilac-blue, each with tiny orange-to-purple spots on the lower half. Those dainty blooms attract bees and other beneficial insects.
Native to the coastal cliffs of New South Wales, this hardy shrub has proven wonderfully suited to Western Cape gardens. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and is remarkably tolerant of coastal winds, salt spray, and poor soils. It demands well-drained soil and, once established, is highly drought-tolerant. It’s also surprisingly frost-hardy, tolerating temperatures as low as -5°C once mature. With a naturally rounded, bushy habit reaching about 1–1.5m tall and wide, it’s perfect for Mediterranean-style gardens, coastal landscapes, informal hedges, or as a soft, textural accent in mixed borders.
Key Features:
- Soft, fine-textured grey-green leaves with silvery-white undersides
- Small, delicate pale lilac to white flowers, mainly in spring and summer
- Thrives in coastal winds, salt spray, drought, and poor soils
- Water-wise and low-maintenance once established
Gardening Note: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Water regularly until established; mature plants are highly drought-tolerant. Prune lightly after flowering to maintain a compact shape—it also takes well to shearing for a formal hedge. Protect from severe frost only in the coldest inland valleys, though established plants show good tolerance.
