Grevillea rosmarinifolia Rosa Jenkinsii

Grevillea rosmarinifolia 'Rosa Jenkinsii' is a compact variety of grevillea with rosemary-like leaves, featuring slightly trailing branches covered in very ornamental light green foliage throughout the year. It blooms early in spring, with short clusters of small bright pink spider-like flowers. This evergreen bush is both disease-resistant and tolerant of drought and cold, down to -10°C (14 °F) in well-drained soil. Excellent for coastal hedges, mixed shrub borders and large dry slopes, it also adapts well to container gardening.

Grevillea rosmarinifolia is a bush belonging to the protea family, native to the cooler regions of southeastern Australia. Many Grevillea species are pioneers in their natural environment: they tolerate fairly poor dry soils but do not like limestone, and require full sun to flower. 'Rosa Jenkinsii' is a more modest cultivar, slightly less spiky than its parent, offering mainly springtime pink flowering. It grows rapidly, reaching its mature size in 3 or 4 years, with a rounded habit that averages about 1.3 metres (4 feet 4 inches) in all directions. It develops thin ascending branches, forming a dense and somewhat bushy mass. Its small narrow and pointed leaves do not exceed 1.5 to 3 cm (0.6 to 1.2 in) in length. They are smooth, hairy on the underside, and bright light green. The very decorative flower buds form from late autumn. The flowering "explodes" from March and continues until May, without interruption. It can also reoccur in September in mild climates, if the soil remains somewhat moist in summer. The bright pink petal-less flowers are composed of petal-shaped styles rolled upon themselves and long recurved stamens. They are grouped in short spider-like clusters. The root system of this plant is very dense near the surface, which results in adaptation to nutrient-poor soils and summer drought.

The Grevillea rosmarinifolia 'Rosa Jenkinsii' is fairly resistant to sea spray, requires little maintenance and no watering once established, and tolerates light pruning to maintain density. It will easily thrive in coastal gardens as well as deeper inland, in sheltered positions and preferably in light, well-draining, slightly acidic soil. It will blend well with evergreen ceanothus in dense hedges, flowering over a long period. It will also make a good impression when planted alone on large slopes or in the back of dry gardens, always in an open position, in full sun. In an exotic or Mediterranean garden, it can be combined with proteas, Agave, Caesalpinia gilliesii, Sesbania punicea, Aloe aristata, Leucophyllum frutescens, as well as Callistemon and Leptospermum. Container gardening allows both control of the substrate composition and overwintering the bush in a cold greenhouse or a very bright and minimally heated conservatory in cold regions.