The thyme herb plays well with other herbs and has a tendency to make friends with other flavors easily.
Wider than high in most cases, a mature thyme plant can be 18 or more inches across.
Considered a semi-woody perennial further north, many thymes are evergreen or nearly so from zone 5 south.
Moisture: on the dry side of medium/ moderate.
Thyme is somewhat drought tolerant.
Soil: Loose, gritty, well-draining soil, preferably a little lacking in nutrients and overall quality.
Consider a light colored rocky mulch, preferably with a little bit of limestone in the make up.
Cultivating Thyme:
Proper drainage is the key to success here.
This can be done again in early-midsummer before it flowers although a third cut-back is not recommended.
Northern gardeners: move that spring cutting to fall, about a month before first frost.
The new growth that flushes after this cut will be hardier to the winter.
It wont come back as thickly there.
Varieties To Try
Doone Valley thymeis my personal favorite for looks.
Silver Posie thyme carries white-margins around its fragrant, mostly evergreen leaves.
For sheer flavor, the classic is the large French thyme (T. vulgare).
If you have only one and its for cooking, choose this one.
But why have just one?
Now its a staple in French, Greek, and other European cuisines.
Use lemon-scented and flavored thyme sparingly in seafood, poultry, and fruit desserts.
