Sow rosemary seeds indoors in spring in moist, free-draining seed compost and keep them somewhere warm and bright.

Be patient: rosemary is slow to grow from seed compared with herbs such as basil, coriander and dill.

Keep the compost lightly moist while seeds germinate and young plants establish, without saturating it.

Allow seedlings plenty of light and don't rush to discard the pot if germination seems slower than your other herbs.

Rosemary likes a warm, sunny position and free-draining conditions. Once established it can grow outdoors in much of the UK, although colder locations may require winter protection.

Water young plants as they establish, but avoid keeping rosemary constantly wet.

Established rosemary is drought tolerant. Plants in containers will still need watering during dry spells, but good drainage is particularly important.

As the plant matures, light trimming helps encourage compact, bushy growth. Avoid repeatedly cutting hard back into old woody growth.

Once the plant is well established, snip young shoots as required. Established rosemary is evergreen and can eventually provide harvests throughout the year.

Rosemary isn't a hungry plant and doesn't require frequent feeding. Avoid encouraging excessive soft growth with heavy feeding.

Patience pays off. Rosemary won't race away like basil or coriander. Slow early growth doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.