#CREEPING THYME HOW TO#

The thymus genus is part of the mint family, Lamiaceae, and originates from southern Europe and Asia.Ĭreeping thyme is a short-lived woody perennial covered in foliage, lasting around 3 to 5 years before becoming unproductive and spindly. There’s plenty of coverage no matter which thyme variety is chosen. There are two key varieties of thyme with a low growing habit that gives rise to the common name ‘creeping thyme’: Thymus praecox, also known as the mother of thyme, and Thymus serpyllum, commonly referred to as wild thyme. Source: Rachel Ford James Common Name(s)Ĭreeping thyme, mother of thyme, wild thymeĪll About Creeping Thyme When flowering, creeping thyme develops a pink to purple mat across its foliage. Good Products At Amazon For Growing Creeping Thyme: Quick Care Guide Creeping thyme can be a very effective groundcover option. Creeping thyme is also a magnet for pollinating insects, especially bees and butterflies, which adds delicious flavor to the resulting honey. Both the flowers and leaves are edible, and unlike many other herbs, creeping thyme plants do not lose their flavor when in bloom and when the flowers die. Low maintenance growing and including an excellent aromatic ground cover are some of the benefits. There are many benefits to growing the green leaves and sometimes white flowers of creeping thyme in your garden. It can even be used as an alternative to a grass lawn, growing only a few inches tall, able to withstand moderate foot traffic, and providing a spectacular vision of pink when in bloom. This aromatic herb, although edible, is used mainly as a garden landscape tool or as a ground cover, filling gaps between stepping stones and crevices in dry-stone walls.

#CREEPING THYME HOW TO#

Read on to discover how to create your own little slice of flowering creeping thyme heaven that spreads quickly through your front yard. Good news! It’s very easy to recreate this look at home. Creeping thyme is one of those ‘must have’ plants you see in glossy lifestyle magazines, with soft pink floral carpets cascading over cottage garden walls or sprawling across a gravel garden overlooking the ocean, creating an altogether dreamy and aspirational ambiance.