I wintersowed them last year(for the first time) and mine had two flushes of bloom over the summer. They germinated very early and were in the ground in April. I'm in Wake County, for reference. On the whole, I was thrilled with what bloomed before its first birthday! My vote is...go for it!

Mere

Carla,
Go for it - they're worth waiting for! :)
Rosemary

with our long growing season they probably will. Although the first time I ever grew them. I sowed them in late summer/early fall and they stayed bush-like. The next summer they flowered...then were cut back to a few leaves...the bush grew back in the fall/winter and then the next summer they bloomed again then died.

Some of the newer types will bloom their first year but they usually don't get too big. Most of them need a winter cold spell as a plant in order to mature to the blooming stage (winter as a seed won't cut it). Fall sowing will usually do the trick. It all depends on how much plant growth you get out of them before summer sets in. If you shop for seedlings in the spring you want the ones with the biggest base or center stem area - ignore how big the leaves are, look at the core of the plant. The bigger they are, the better your chances are for first year bloom.

Thanks everyone. I still plan to winter sow what I have and see the results. It's a chance with our crazy weather changes.

Carla

If you want some seed I can send you some, I went thru them yesterday and they look good. They bloomed from seed first year and are from seeds I saved from plants in NJ. I'm sorry can't tell you what 'name' they are, but they got about 4 1/2 feet tall.