When planting, I add sand or gravel to the soil to improve drainage. Too much water and heavy soil cause thymes to rot. Native to the Mediterranean region, thymes prefer dry conditions and average garden soil. Good drainage encourages a vigorous carpet of thyme When underplanting deciduous shrubs with thyme, I always remove any fallen debris to prevent the thyme from rotting under damp leaves. The spiky texture and silver-blue color of the spruce are complemented by the soft, neat mounds of thyme. In my garden, a flat-topped, dwarf blue spruce is paired with a low, white-flowering thyme, T. I allow the thyme to spread around the base of the taller specimens if the thyme starts to creep up and into the shrubs, I just clip it back. In another part of my border, a creeping thyme flows around some dwarf iris and ‘Moonshine’ yarrow, creating a composition of wildly different foliage textures.ĭwarf conifers and woody shrubs underplanted with thyme are less often seen but quite lovely. The allium pokes up through the low, glossy mat of thyme and among the fuzzy betony leaves, where its whiplike foliage contrasts nicely. I like to grow the betony and drumstick allium underplanted with a creeping thyme. Perennials such as betony, bee balm, sage, allium, pincushion flower, artemisia, yarrow, and iris make interesting companions.
Thymes blend well with other plants, too. It tolerates the shady conditions but is far less vigorous than other thymes grown in sunny locations. pseudolanuginosus, a woolly thyme with soft, fuzzy, gray foliage. Along north-facing, railroad-tie steps, I grow T. Slopes and inclines in my garden feature ‘Pink Chintz’, ‘Bressingham Seedling’, ‘E. Many will meander down crevices, cascade over boulders, or form tight, sculptural mounds. Thymes are always at home in rock gardens, walls, and on rocky slopes. Under caraway thyme ( Thymus herba-barona ‘Minus’ and ‘Longwood’), I plant summer-flowering bulbs like alliums, lilies, and spider lilies, which grow happily without being smothered by the thymes. Because they are resilient, I walk on the mats to weed, deadhead, and complete other maintenance tasks. Their fuzzy, gray foliage makes an attractive carpet creeping over a dark-stained railroad tie.Ĭreeping thymes enliven the transition from pathways to perennial beds, where they spread into my wide borders.
Photo/Illustration: John Glover Woolly thymes prefer dry climates and good air circulation. Many cultivars are tough enough to withstand occasional foot traffic along garden paths. Scent under foot and in the perennial borderĬreeping thymes provide fragrance underfoot. When I tread on them, their distinctive fragrance adds a sensual dimension to a garden stroll.įor more thyme varieties, check Fine Gardening‘s Plant Guide. I especially enjoy the prostrate varieties planted among paving stones in paths and terraces that spill into my perennial borders. They are separated into two groups: prostrate, which grow less than 3 inches high and resemble lush, sun-loving mosses and mounding, which form undulating, green or silver carpets that are more than 3 inches high. My favorites are the creeping thyme cultivars, which present a wealth of choices for unusual, aromatic ground covers. Most are hardy to Zone 5 (–20☏) with winter protection. More than 150 thymes are commercially available, with hardiness ranges from USDA Hardiness Zones 2 (–50☏) to 10 (30☏). Photo/Illustration: Lee Anne White/Positive Imagesįor the past 20 years, I have grown many thymes at my Pennsylvania herb farm, and I add new ones every season. You can also tuck thyme into stone walls and in rock gardens. Here, a creeping thyme softens a stone walk. Cracks and crevices provide ideal growing conditions for thyme.
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