I've had the rosemary from the local nurseries in the Bonnie planters. They have never grown more than about 2-2.5 ft for me in the containers. That is one thing to note also -- that many plants, which could be bigger, would be limited by their containers.

I'd like to add that if you find a rosemary that you like, then before winter take some cuttings for it and try to plant it in a small container for the indoors. When spring comes, you'll have your rosemary already!

your tuscan blue won't get 6' tall in one season. Since you are treating it as an annual, it will be fine.

And even if you were growing it in the ground in a milder climate, rosemary will take any amount of pruning and can be kept pretty much any size you like.

I just had this conversation with my herb broker the other day,
every year we try a few different rosemary's, on top of the standard ones we sell.

unfortunately the one he said is Barbeque Rosemary. but we already sell that as a Barbeque Rosemary type. I was looking for a standard type like ARP, Tuscan blue or ???

he was saying rosemary is native to the Mediterranean. but the Barbeque was developed in a northern region much like our new England climate. so it has a better chance of survival.
I will be testing BBQ this year for winter survival in 2 or 3 locations around the farm..

Here in zone 7, I had around a dozen varieties of rosemary. About half of them didn't make it through the last winter - the barbeque was one that didn't survive.

Obey the plant catalog ratings, like those on Monrovia's site - they are pretty accurate.

river city, how old were your rosemary plants ? if they were under a year old, when did you plant them "what month ?"

also where are you located ? I know your zone 7. don't for get this was one of the worst winters that we had in years.

as far as your "obey the plant catalog" not true! I trust what other farmers tell me and there advice. Not what a catalog says. if I take the time to believe a catalog, I will take the time to call them and they "better know what there talking about" because 90% of the time they don't and they don't live in my zone or new England climate..

I am sorry you lost your rosemary but I would like to know the types and planting time or how many years old were they..

Your Tuscan Blue won't get that big in your climate. That size would be for a full size tree in a warm winter climate. It's a good rosemary, with great flavor, and if you treat it as an annual, just dry or freeze what's left at the end of the summer. It should be pretty happy in a raised bed that will drain well.

boston3381 -

Here are the varieties that survived my winter. I'm in Richmond, VA. The rosemaries are grown in unmulched hard clay, all planted against a building.

Salem - 2nd year
Arp - 8th year (I actually have several of these - all survived and are blooming)
Madeline Hill - 1st year
Common - 3rd year
Prostratus - 1st year

Lost:
Tuscan Blue - 2nd year
Barbeque - 2nd year
Foxtail - 1st year
Pine - 2nd year
Pink Majorca - 1st year
Golden Rain - 1st year