In days gone by, thyme was used as a strewing herb—a medicinal measure against pestilence—as well as providing a more perfumed atmosphere for crowds enclosed in poorly-ventilated buildings; the Greek word “thymus” means to fumigate.
Today, the oil of thyme is still an ingredient in many prescribed medicines. Thyme honey was, and still is, a contribution to good eating.
Overlooked and Barely Recognized Thymes
From the sun-kissed slopes of the Mediterranean to the windy ridges of Norway, the far-flung habitats of thymes suggest their sturdiness and wide variety.
Although herbs are well established in cooking, the diversified wealth of herb material for horticultural purposes is barely recognized.
For instance, the tiny thymes have been almost overlooked—a regrettable but easily corrected oversight.
The durable and energetic creeping thymes, lavishly endowed with aroma, flavor, and pleasing appearance, are worthy of note.
Their varieties are so numerous that the Thymus serpyllum group is often termed a taxonomist’s nightmare—thanks to the tireless hybridizing bees.
Uses of Thymes
Thyme is a good investment for a postage-stamp plot’s cramped quarters or a large area’s full sweep.
An assemblage of carpeting thymes provides generous mats of bloom in spring and summer according to their variety.
Seen from afar, the green, gray, and gray-green foliage seems stippled with dots when the baby buds form.
Later, the flowers surge over the thick sods in a quaint, chintz pattern. Blossoms come in a dozen or more shades, from the subtle rose of ancient brick to the lavender and pink tints of iridescent pearls.
Tiny White Albus
The tiny white albus is an excellent foil for the more colorful members of this interesting family.
Albus is a favorite of mine because it gives much satisfaction year-round. Its bright green foliage, with tiny and dense leaves, looks like moss; its miniature flowers are pinpricked over the mats like a fine mist.
Albus is the earliest to bloom in my garden and has a long flowering period.
Crimson Thyme and Pink Thyme
Pink thyme (cuneus) has medium green leaves and shows its dawn pink flower shortly after Albus finishes flowering.
Crimson thyme (Coccineus’) is a popular, vivid variety. Other kinds scarcely flower, such as the golden thyme (aureus).
However, of the myriad sorts offered by herb nurseries, each one has something of value—unceasing greenery throughout the seasons and individual, distinctive scents that speak softly, sweetly, or boldly.
Mother of Thyme
Many bring a culinary message to the cook, and all have the wonderful attribute of being restful in the eyes.
A variety easily sown in limited space is mother-of-thyme (serpyllum), also known as wild thyme.
This is truly an ambitious grower which prospers in most soils and climates. Propagation is by seed or sods; often, a thicker turf is achieved by buying both.
The plants are spaced 2′ feet apart, and the seed is sown lightly in the bare spots between.
Press the seed into the soil gently. This method is especially effective where rain-washing is a factor.
Wild Thyme
Wild thyme frequently self-sows in all terrains. Its tenacious root system is a boon for bank plantings or under shrubbery where grass won’t grow as it produces a cushiony greensward almost anywhere.
These chance growths are welcome in the lawn, for they are evergreen and easily mowed.
Wild thyme presents a more tailored appearance when the tops are kept clipped rather than left to their natural bent of flowering.
Yellow-Green Golden Thyme
The yellow-green golden thyme is also an excellent ground cover but must be propagated by plants since it does not set seeds.
Combining wild thyme and golden thyme produces an interesting ribbon effect when the dark and bright sods interlace.
Caraway thyme
Caraway thyme (herha-baroua) is another which hugs the ground and does not set seed, so it must be started from plants and root divisions—any little rooted piece makes a beginning.
The smallest, flattest thymes are decorative and desirable. In this group are, among others, albus, carneus, coccineus and lanuginosus the wooly thyme. All produce seeds.
Popular Landscape Use
Shoe Lacing them back and forth between flagstones is a popular landscape use because, even when tramped on by moderate foot traffic, they turn the other cheek with no noticeable damage.
Old stone walls are attractive when draped with billowy varieties, such as wooly-stem (lanicaulis) and lemon (citriodorus).
These add lavish trappings to the irregular clefts of a rock garden and make an ideal coverlet for small bulbs.
Being of easy culture, with little weeding to do once established, the thymes offer an exciting hobby wherever they are placed.
Prostate Thymes
Following is a checklist of other prostate thymes which may be obtained as either seeds or plants:
- Silver thyme (argenteus)
- British Qbrittanicus)
- Lemon (citriodorus)
- Scandinavian (gerber)
- Sicilian (nitidus)
- Rose (roseus)
- Villosus, a wooly thyme variation
44659 by Eleanor P. Chalfin