Carla,
I have Magic Carpet Thyme and also Orange-scented thyme seeds if you would like some. Pls email.
Rosemary
P.S. We might get flurries tonight! :)

The part of my yard that has the best soil for Thyme does not have much sunshine so I grow most of mine in pots. Regardless of where I plant it or what kind it is (and I've had them all) they never last forever. They usually grow large and full and then come down with some sort of rot that takes out the whole clump in one season. So I propogate by cuttings and I buy it everytime I see one I like.

I thought the flavor and aroma is variable so you'd have to grow a lot of seedlings to get the ones with good scent and taste. I have some seed for it around here somewhere so I might just sow them and see how long they take to grow big.

never head tons of luck with the plain creeping thyme, but have had good luck with both lemon and lime creeping thyme. i'm planning an area of our lawn that dry and sandy to seed creeping thyme into, but have no idea if it'll work. i plan to plant it with chamomile, letting each take over where they thrive the best. i've had the same experience as john- they do great for a number of yrs, then mysteriously melt in a season. the one i've had the longest- more than 10 yrs now is caraway thyme, which is also a creeper. it's scrubbier and not as lush as the lemon & lime, though, and i've never used it culinarily. pretty rosey flowers in spring, and tough as nails. if you want to use thymes culinarily, i'd recommend going the plant route. just as filler for walkways & such would probably be fine for seed. actually, that holds true for a lot of the perennial herbs, since flavor is fairly variable. good luck! tam

I had lots of these at my other place. Situated in full sun,not touched by sprinkler system and on a hillside bed covered by broken brick. It thrived,spread,bloomed like crazy for 9 years. Then I moved to a flat yard. Drainage is the key and if you don't have fast draining sandy soil, build a mound to improve drainage and make sure it gets plenty of sun.

Thanks everyone. I have an idea Thyme would be like growing Lavender, hot dry spaces.

Carla

Couldn't help but notice this thread & reply b/c this is one of my favorite things to grow in beds. I'm in TX now (moving to NC soon), but here is my two cents...
This has thrived for me in afternoon, HOT, western sun. I have it between shrubs (roses, salvia, etc.) and I water the bed with only a soaker hose. Occassionally I spray some fertilizer (compost tea and fish emulsion, mostly). This stuff has made a green carpet in front. It partially dies during hard freezes but then comes back bigger and better. I love the tight, green carpet it makes. Good luck!

When I grew it in Oklahoma it did better - out here there is something about the dampness that rots it out. You can still grow it and plenty of people succeed with it (in all sorts of planting styles) you just have to be prepared to replant it every couple of years. Another problem many inner city gardeners have is the shade caused by all these tall pine trees. Full sun here is nothing close to the full sun I endured in OKC.

sloppy joe: welcome! You will love it here for the gardening and beautiful blooming trees in Spring all along our highways. OK, I grow Creeping Thyme with great ease in part sun, compost-amended soil, and no extra water here in Lewisville zone 7. It is very pretty for me growing around stepping stones that pass by one of those ridiculous well caps surrounded by Mint and Silver Dollar Plant, which helps pretty up that eyesore. Also compatible in this spot with Creeping Thyme is creeping sedum and Roman Camomile (a fragrant mat). If anyone wants some, come and get it! Email me to share. BTW: My plant swap is Saturday April 29th.

I know what went wrong with my other Thyme. It was in a low lying area and maybe too moist. I now have a new bed so I'll try Thyme again.

Carla

I just planted 10 plants I purchased two days ago at our local Home depot 1.75 each I thought that was a pretty good price they are in small pots but very healthy and are hanging over the sides of the pots. We covered an old driveway with about 4 inches of good soil and planted grass but in the hot summer when the ground gets really dry the grass looks awful and some areas where we walk to much the ground is bare I am hoping it will cover that area. Do you know I have heard you can walk on it because it is very tough.

We have several varieties here and there in dry spots. It's very lush, even this time of year. One tiny little 4" pot planted last spring has now covered 3 sf around one of our stone fence corners under a Lady Banksia and a Caryopteris. We planted some Scutellaria serrata (skull cap) with it and they are happy together.