I’ve taken some cuttings from a lavender in the front yard that was sticking through the front fence. What’s the best way to make sure they take? I want at least one in the back yard to attract bees.
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Dancing With Frogs 
I always struck lavender by taking a cutting from the woody part of the stem, and creating a diagonal cut with a sharp scalpel. I often used “ROOTING POWDER” (which is a very handy substance I would think) and left then in damp potting mix for a bit. If it is the type with the bigger leaves, I trim most of the leaves off and cut the leaves themselves back.. I also sometimes nip the sprouting end off and just leave small leaves. this makes the cutting throw out roots rather than support its leaves. They take very easily, all my lavenders were from the same plant and I had about 8.
who’d have thought I’d have a gardening tip?!
make sure there are no leaves in the water as they will rot and make the water stink. I have gotten nice little roots from cuttings before in water, but i honestly cant remember if lavender was one of them. there seems to be advice on the water method and the dipping in rooting powder and then into sterile soil…. ive not bothered with either of them, i just shove them into a pot of soil LOL. good luck!
The school sent me on an RHS school garden day-course a couple of years ago where they showed us how to take lavender/rosemary cuttings.
First fill small pots with a mixture of compost sand and grit. Then break off fresh new shoots without flower buds about 8cm long and remove the lower leaves, just leaving a few at the top. Dip the base into hormone rooting powder and plant straight into the pots. Give them a little water and place a small plastic bag over the whole pot to make a little greenhouse environment for them. Once the weather is warm enough and you feel they are doing ok remove the plastic bags and wish them the best of luck. Good luck.
Rootex, and sandy soil.
Basically, what Ellen said is pretty good. Instead of a plastic bag, cut the bottom off a plastic drink bottle and use the top as a greenhouse…easier to handle than a plastic bag which can keep leaves wet with condensation and cause rotting if it touches them.
Use a shallow pot so you can see when roots come through the bottom.
All of the above methods should work. I’ve never bothered with plastic bags or drink bottles as “mini greenhouses”. Everything I try like that just rots. With lavenders I take a cutting with a woody base but not too thick, cut off all the leaves and the tip. That way I can see more easily if new leaves grow. Put them in a sunny spot, keep damp but not wet, let them dry occasionally. Lavenders are tough. Pretty much any method you try will succeed.