There are many different varieties available. You can get white, pale pink or blue flowering ones. A very interesting one is the creeping Rosemary (R. prostratus) that will hang down walls or large containers. The leaves are a bit smaller but still very useful in the kitchen. Rosmarinus o. 'BBQ' has nice broad leaves on an upright bush with blue flowers.
 
For growing Rosemary bushes you need a slightly alkaline soil that is well drained. It should not be too rich or heavy. If you grow it in the ground plant it into a raised bed, slope or a rockery in full sun.
Growing Rosemary from seed is doable but you have to have a lot of patience. It could take up to 3 years before you have a plant that is big enough to harvest from. It is a lot easier to buy a couple of plants and pot them into a nice container or into the ground.
 
If you like to cook Italian food you just can't be without it. It is a nice evergreen herb that can easily be grown in a container in a sunny spot on a patio or balcony. The pretty blue flowers that open along the twigs in the spring cover the whole bush and are a great feed for bees.