lavenders don't do well as topiaries unless you would like to shape them as ball hedges.

Rosemary on the other hand is a good starter plant. Choose one with a straight stem, planted in a good sized pot and let it grow as tall as it is possible. Stick in a straight bamboo stick as a guide and use raffia or twine to attach the main leader stem to the stick. Remove all leaves above and below areas you've selected to be the balls.

Do not cut off the tip of the leader stem until you are satisfied with the height of the plant. I think you can grow this plant up to 2 1/2 ft or perhaps even 3 feet. Once the plant has achieved the appropriate height, nip off the top. This will force branching in the areas below. Continue to remove any growth in the areas between the 'balls'. Let everythings else grow and nip off stem tips as they grow to certain lenght. This again forces that stem to branch out and continue nipping off the tips until you have your ball shape. The lowest ball is usually the largest and the top the smallest.

A lot of patience is required when starting from scratch. Rosemaries also do not do well indoors unless it receives a decent amount of moisture. It is also susceptible to spider mites and powdery mildew and so everynow and then, you will need to mist it to prevent this from happening.

Remove and adjust the ties as the plant grows bigger otherwise it can cut into the trunk causing harm or unsightly scars.

Ianna