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Rosemary hedge because the buxus moth ate my buxus

Hugo Morvan

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posted 8 years ago

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The buxus moth has come to Europe recent years and has arrived in central France, people are desperately using chemicals to kill off the caterpillars. Huge bushes i've seen completely devoured. I'd kept mine low as a wind break around my veggie garden. Internet said the leaves would come back, but they haven't so far, any way, they'll die in next years cycle. So i decided to make the hedge a rosemary hedge, which i use in massage oil and to make a hydrosol for hair and help with concentration. Had some two year old cuttings to start the replacement.

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Mandy Launchbury-Rainey

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posted 8 years ago

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I am also heading away from box and towards rosemary, and maybe lavender also. I usd both in my beef dripping moisturisers but really its for the look and the smell.

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Hugo Morvan

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posted 8 years ago

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Lavender is great as well, but i haven't managed to propagate it by layering or cuttings so far. Bought some seeds that grew plants, hope to get viable seeds from those. Lavender hedges grow quite wide, they don't take kindly to trimming like rosemary.

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Hugo Morvan

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posted 7 years ago

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update july.

Rosemary-hedge-july.jpg

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Phil Gardener

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Location: Near Philadelphia, PA

posted 7 years ago

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Great project! I love rosemary but it isn't reliably winter hardy here in Pennsylvania. Looking forward to watching your progress!

Hester Winterbourne

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Location: West Midlands UK (zone 8b) Rainfall 26"

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posted 7 years ago

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And then there's the rosemary beetle... there's something in me says growing a load of the same bush, any bush, in a long line, is asking for trouble.

Hugo Morvan

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posted 7 years ago

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Hester. What new plague comes will come. Nothing i can do about it. I had never heard of the rosemary beetle until you mentioned it. I have about 250 different plant species in my garden and that provides for a lot of different insects, which provides for a lot of birds, which do their bit in pest control. I’ve read it’s good to have clusters of plants. Easier to find for insects when they flower. As well i find blocks easier to maintain and harvest. On top of that they seem to thrive if i cluster them, while solo they have to put up a fight to survive. I prefer the calmer look of it as well. Others tend to think my garden is chaotic any way. I think they wouldn’t understand if i make it even more so.
If my 3 meter hedgerow of rosemary is going to fall prey to beetles so be it. I’m hoping for a 30 meter one in the coming years elsewhere. Guess i’ll break it up now.

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Mandy Launchbury-Rainey

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posted 7 years ago

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More on the rosemary beetle here
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=555
They do look pretty.....

To lead a tranquil life, mind your own business and work with your hands.

Hugo Morvan

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posted 7 years ago

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Still no beetles, just rosemary hedge taking shape.

rosemary-hedge-2019.jpg

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Hugo Morvan

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posted 6 years ago

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Growth has been strong, even flowering!

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S. Bard

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posted 6 years ago

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Looks gorgeous, and it must smell divine. I love rosemary!
Now I want to eat roasted potatoes with rosemary!

thomas rubino

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posted 6 years ago

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Hugo; That looks outstanding! I wish we could grow like that! We do our best though.
Just this morning I went and got a few dry branches from last years bush and put them in my spice jar.They smell so good!
I'm using it and others on the pork roast that will be slow smoking this afternoon.

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Hugo Morvan

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posted 5 years ago

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It remains quite a wild hedge this rosemaryhedge. I only really shave the sides. The tops can do what they like. My thinking is the bigger and higher the plant is the more leaves it will have to harvest sunlight with, the more it will boost growth once i really shave it into a hedge shape.

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Luke Mitchell

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Location: Pembrokeshire, UK

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posted 5 years ago

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I would start shaping the hedge earlier rather than later. My experience with big rosemary plants is that they don't grow back very readily from pruned woody stems. If you start shaping the green, newish growth, you'll have less issue with dead, brown areas.

Small-holding, coppice and grassland management on a 16-acre site.