Creeping Thyme is a hardy, mat-forming perennial, perfect for creating a carpet of fragrant, evergreen foliage in the garden. Its low, spreading habit makes it ideal for ground cover, rock gardens, or planting between paving stones where the scent is released when walked upon. In addition to its aromatic leaves, it produces dense clusters of tiny pink or purple flowers that are a magnet for pollinators, proving irresistible to bees. Sow the fine Creeping Thyme seeds on the surface of a tray of compost, as they need light to germinate. Keep the tray in a warm place at around 15-20C and maintain light moisture until the seedlings appear. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, carefully prick them out and grow them on in individual pots or modules. Gradually acclimatise the young plants to outdoor conditions before moving them to their final growing positions. Choose a site in full sun with very well-draining, gritty, or even poor soil, as thyme must have good drainage and detests wet conditions. Space the plants about 30cm apart to give them room to spread and form a dense mat. Water them until they are fully established, but thereafter they are very drought-tolerant and require little care. You can trim the plants back after flowering to keep them neat and compact. Please Note: The image(s) shown are for illustrative purposes only. The listed number of seeds is an approximate value and packet size may vary slightly.
