Thyme has over 350 varieties and can make an interesting collection. Thymus is claimed to have volatile oils that have anti-ageing properties and good anti-oxidants to aid health. It retains its flavour after drying and can be stored successfully.

Time for some Growing Tips on Thyme

• Place container or grow in a sunny position to get stronger flavoured leaves.
• Use free draining soil or plant through a good layer of gravel
• Thyme looks good in a pot but avoid using a rich compost or you will get tasteless leaves and no flowers
• Trim the plant after Thyme has flowered to stop it becoming woody.
• Propagate from cuttings before flowering in spring or divide in spring.
• T. vulgaris, T. frgrantissimus and T. Serpyllium can be grown from fine seed which should be sown with sand on top of soil watered from the bottom.
• Bees are attracted to the pink flowering Pink Ripple.
• Cooking with Thyme and home grown Tomatoes is a special joy but add Thyme early so it has chance to release its flavours.

Herb Garden Design Using Thyme

• Create a carpet on a path on banking to display the herbs.
• For best ornamental effect mix upright varieties and creeping varieties and vary the leaf colour ‘Archers Gold’, ‘Coccineus major’ and ‘Doone Valley’ have a mix of magenta and purple flowers with varigation on leaf colour.
• A wheel shape or Octagon effect can be created as a garden feature
• ‘T. Vulgaris Silver Posie’ is reliable in winter weather