Rosemary in the Veggie Bed: Why This Fragrant Herb Deserves a Spot in Your Kitchen Garden

If you haven’t added rosemary to your vegetable beds yet, you’re missing out on one of nature’s most efficient multitaskers.

When most people think of rosemary, their minds jump to Sunday roasts or fragrant kitchen windowsills. But in the garden, rosemary is much more than just a culinary herb, it’s a natural pest deterrent, a companion plant, and a garden design hero. If you haven’t added rosemary to your vegetable beds yet, you’re missing out on one of nature’s most efficient multitaskers.

Nature’s Built In Pest Control

One of the biggest advantages of planting rosemary in your veg bed is its natural pest repelling abilities. Its strong, aromatic oils act like a force field against common garden nuisances.

Rosemary Helps Deter:

• Cabbage moths

• Carrot flies

• Bean beetles

• Mosquitoes & aphids

plant it near cabbage, carrots, beans, or peppers, and you’ll create a protective buffer that helps your more vulnerable vegetables thrive without reaching for a bottle of pesticide.

Plant rosemary in the veg beds

Attracting the Right Crowd

While rosemary keeps bad bugs at bay, it rolls out the welcome mat for beneficial insects. Bees, parasitic wasps, and hoverflies are frequent visitors to its tiny blue flowers. These helpful pollinators and predators help to keep your garden in balance.

Low Maintenance, High Reward

Rosemary’s drought tolerance and toughness make it an easy companion for dry gardens and raised beds. Once established, it thrives with minimal water and little fuss. That makes it ideal for bordering beds where thirstier vegetables can take centre stage.

Who Gets Along With Rosemary?

Here’s a quick guide to its best (and worst) companions:

Best Companions

• Brassicas (broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)

• Carrots

• Beans

• Chillies / peppers

• Sage, thyme, lavender

Not-So-Friendly Neighbors

• Basil: Too thirsty

• Parsley: Prefers richer soil

• Mint: Invasive and incompatible

• Tomatoes: Conflicting moisture needs

Garden Design Tip: Make Rosemary Work for You

Use rosemary as a living border, a corner feature, or even a hedge like backdrop in your vegetable beds.

• Keep rosemary to the sunnier, drier edges.

• Space about 18–24 inches apart for airflow and access.

• Rotate your veg crops around this aromatic anchor seasonally.

Culinary, Medicinal & Beyond

Rosemary tea

Of course, the bonus is having fresh rosemary within arm’s reach. It’s perfect for cooking, steeping in teas, or even making herbal insect repellents. Plus, with its year round greenery, rosemary adds beauty and structure to your garden long after your lettuces have bolted.

Get plants for free!

You can get lots of rosemary plants for free by taking cuttings take a look at our simple guide on how to do this is in only five minutes!