As cooking herb, as ground cover...thyme choices.

As cooking herb, as ground deal with . . . thyme choices

Abundant options throughout thyme are the conventional upright-growing

herbs utilized in cooking as well as low-growing kinds which make excellent

ground covers. Specially obliging, thyme could thrive under less than

ideal conditions. When established, it will well even inside poor sandy

soils and will get by with just reasonable watering. The idea really does best in

fast-draining soil completely sun or perhaps partial shade.



You can place out plants now if you supply light shade while

they're receiving set up of course, if you never let them dry out

severely. Throughout hot-summer areas, postpone planting until fall.



Ground cover thymes



For the ground-hugging ornamental throughout small areas, try among the

following varieties. Just About All tolerate light traffic and produce tiny

flowers from spr ing for you to fall. They Will produce the lowest mat concerning two to always be able to three inches

high. Plant six to end up being able to 12 inches apart. The Particular closer spacing is better since

thyme grows slowly.





Woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) provides stems densely packed

with tiny gray-green fuzzy leaves (1/8 inch long). The idea rarely exhibits its

pale pink blooms. Regarding similar density along with size, though abundant white



flowers as well as bright green, practically smooth leaves, is white moss thyme (T.

pulegioides "Alba'). Coconut thyme (T. pulegioides

"Coccineus') features tiny darkish green leaves as well as purple-pink

blooms.



Creeping thyme as well as mother-of-thyme (T. praecox arcticus), sometimes

sold as T. serpyllum as well as T. drucei, provides pink blooms along with slightly larger

rounded leaves (1/4 inch long). That forms the lowest mat that's aromatic

when brushed. The Actual 2- to become able to 6-inch-tall stems drop down since the plant grows.



Herbal thymes



For used in cooking, try the classic English or even widespread thyme (T.

vulgaris). It can in addition be available inside a white-variegated form sold as

silver thyme, T. vulgaris "Argenteus'. With Regard To the lemon scent, try

lemon thyme (T. citriodorus) or certainly 1 of its variegated forms,

"Aureus' (with yellow edging) and "Argenteus' (white

edging).



Buying thyme simply by mail



If you cannot discov er the assortment you want in a nursery, order by

mail through Fox Hill Farm (444 W. Michigan Ave., Box 7, Parma, Mich.

49269; catalog $1) or even Taylor's Herb Gardens, Inc. (1535 Lone Oak Rd., Vista, Calif. 92083; $1).



Photo: Variegated lemon thyme has yellow-edged green leaves and

lemon scent



Photo: Wooly thyme types cushiony ground cover among sidewalk and

rock retaining wall



Photo: White moss thyme softens paving regarding actions with compact

foliage along with white blooms