Hi Julia,
Nice to hear from you. I have a process that I use for rosemary. I buy a new small plant every two years. Since it will winter well here for 3 or 4 winters, if it's in a fairly sheltered place, then I plant it in my garden in the early fall. Then the next year I really enjoy it. The second following spring I buy another small plant and in the fall plant it also in the garden. So then for a couple of years I'll have two. But without fail, the oldest one fades away and I'll be back to one. So I start all over again.
It works for me, because some years I have two and sometimes it dwindles down to one, but at least I have one growing at all times. I live in zone 7a and I realize there's a difference but I wonder if you planted it in a fairly sheltered spot - they don't need much water - would it survive a winter for you?
Of course I've never tried seeds, so that might be something I can think about doing. But old habits are hard to break.
