I'd just go to your nearest nursery and get a cheap-o rosemary. Rosemary COULD make a hedge, so technically, it's not a small plant. Both of them would do WAY better outside. They need full sun and good drainage if you can do that for them. I have never heard of creeping sage, do you mean creeping thyme? You probably could do that.

Yes, nurseries this time of year, as well as Lowe's and Home Depot, et al, are full of all different types of rosemary seedlings this time of year. Just buy a couple and plant in a well-drained, very sunny area of the yard and watch it take off!

I started rosemary from primed seeds in 2 inch pots indoors, and its now outside in the garden. Last year, I did the same thing and had about 15 big rosemary plants and a few were given away to a friend who placed them in pots and brought them indoors when it got cold outside. Because they are fairly easy for me to grow from seed, I don't bother with buying many plants at nurseries anymore. Luckily I also have a small greenhouse were things can get used to being outdoors before they are actually planted outside. The only plant I did buy was a couple of tarragon plants.

I have started lavender from seed (winter-sowing) and even after a year the seedlings are small. Seems to be very slow-growing. But the two-year old plants I set out three years ago are large now in comparison, and produce lots of fragrant blooms.
The rosemary practically roots itself, so a cutting or two would be faster than seed.

Indie,
More power to ya! I can't even get a rosemary to survive for more then two years, and have never had any sprout from seeds. (Doesn't mean I'm not trying AGAIN. LOL) Place to buy both rosemary and lavender seeds -- Burpee -- http://www.burpee.com/category/herbs.do

Have fun!

lavander does best from cuttings. I have tried seeds and the plants just did not do much to speak of. I have 18 lavander plants, and the cuttings that I took this yr. are in bloom now. They like dry soil once they get started. Cuttings are easy. Buy a plant from a nursery, and plant it in your dry sunny area. Mine is out all yr. around. I take cuttings in summer and late spring. The cuttings are 6-8 inch of new growth, I just put it in good potting soil, wet and then let it grow. Lavanders need to be pruned in spring anyway, so it is good to take cuttings.
Darlene

Let me introduce myself. I'm new as a garden web member. I had been reading for several months before I decided to join in the fun. I have grown lavender and rosemary and find them fairly easy. I have tried cuttings from rosemary during the winter babying them in a window. I have had a few root but seems like I did a lot of cuttings. Never considered cuttings of lavender but most certainly will now. Is it too late to take some cuttings of lavender for this year or should I wait until next spring. I need to replenish my lavender plants as I lost several this year andthis would great year too because of all the dry weather. VB

You can still root cuttings...we've just now crossed from spring to summer!

As for lavender and rosemary seeds, they will only sprout if you maintain the soil temp at 70 degrees or better.

You can take cutting now. I take cuttings until fall and then I let the plant rest. Don't cut a lot after temps. cool down, since the plant needs reserves to live thru the winter. I also lost several plants this winter from the hard weather, but did not lose lavanders. I have so many in pots now, besides in the ground, I need to stop the cuttings. At first it was "just to see if it would succeed". Thus, I have added to my garden beds, and others that have gardens also. Fun projects. I also do not use any rooting hormones when doing the cuttings. I keep them in the shade though, when they are forming roots.
Darlene

Back to the point about the creeping 'sage'. I also think that this must mean creeping thyme. Since thyme, lavender and rosemary all need plenty of sun and good light, the thyme would not be happy beneath another plant. I live in a climate which allows all three to stay outside all year round and rosemary in particular can grow huge. I have just cut mine back (I had to take a saw to it) because it was obscuring an area about five feet by five feet. There's no way anything would grow beneath it.

Hi, I just took some lavender cuttings from a neighbor and was going to try to root them--never tried lavender cuttings before. I was going to use rootone and pop them into a peat moss/perlite mixture but then I noticed that someone said here NOT to use rootone. Are they really that easy to start? How long before roots will form? Thanks. Donna

I don't know about growing rosemary from seed, but last spring I got 3 little rosemary plants about 8 inches tall and put them in some mostly sandy soil by my front door in full sun. They pick up water from the irrigation for the shrubs, but that sandy soil drains instantly. This year, 12 months later, they're about 4 feet tall. I've trimmed one side back drastically and it's bouncing back. By this time next year I'll have the prettiest smelling hedge in the world. Give your rosemary lots of sun, WELL-drained soil and regular moisture but no wet feet, and then stand back. I'll let the other folks here talk about lavender, because it's too hot and humid in my yard for it, although I'd love to be able to grow it. Good luck!

Rosemary is grown as an evergreen shrub in the south where it can get rather large, but it is not hardy in cold winter zones. You can grow it indoors in pots. Keep it sheared to control size. You can make lovely little Christmas tree shapes eith potted rosemary.