Famed for its versatility in healing and cooking, thyme is easy to grow and will bring pleasure all-year round, says Jekka McVicar. Thyme is the little gem of the herb world. Its leaves vary in colour from dark-green to golden yellow, while some are splashed with variegation. Varieties vary in growth habit from those that creep along the ground to those that form an upright bush, and many also produce a mass of white, pink or lilac-coloured flowers in the summer. There are more than 189 varieties ofthyme in the UK, and new ones are being discovered each year -so there are lots to choose from. You will find varieties to suit most styles of garden. The upright Thymus vulgaris 'Compactus' is ideal for creating a low edging to a formal herb garden, while creepers, such as T. serpyllum 'Annie Hall', are superb for planting in a gravel path. Because of the change in our weather patterns, I'd advise people who wish to grow a thyme lawn or path to plant into 5cm (2in) of gravel, rather than loam, in thiscondition, they can survive torrential downpours and cold, wet winters.
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