If Common thyme is the dependable workhorse, French thyme is the more refined cousin that chefs reach for when they want a slightly sweeter, more complex flavor. It has narrower, gray‑green leaves, a subtle clove or floral note, and a reputation for shining in French cooking and herb blends without overpowering a dish. In this...
Red creeping thyme is a low, mat‑forming thyme that covers ground like regular creeping thyme, but with more intense magenta‑to‑red bloom color that turns whole patches into a pollinator buffet. It is one of the most popular “bee lawn” and lawn‑alternative plants because it can handle sun, poor soil, and light foot traffic while giving...
Woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus, sometimes sold as Thymus lanuginosus) is the softest, fuzziest member of the thyme crew. It forms an ultra‑low, silver‑gray carpet that hugs the ground, tolerates sun and drought, and looks incredible spilling between flagstones or over rock walls, but it is grown for texture and coverage—not for the kitchen. If you...
Orange thyme (Thymus fragrantissimus and similar orange‑scented cultivars) is a compact thyme with gray‑green leaves that smell like fresh orange and pine when you brush past them. It keeps the toughness and drought tolerance of other thymes but adds a sweeter, sharper citrus note that shines in poultry, duck, stir‑fries, desserts, and drinks. If you...
Creeping thyme is the thyme you plant when you want a low, tough, flowering carpet instead of another patch of high‑maintenance grass. It hugs the ground, weaves between pavers, and erupts into pink or purple bloom that feeds bees and softens hard edges, all while shrugging off drought and poor soil better than most turf....
Golden thyme (often sold as Thymus vulgaris ‘Aureus’, Golden Thyme, Golden Creeping Thyme, Golden Lemon Thyme, or “yellow variegated thyme”) is what happens when thyme puts on a high‑visibility vest. It gives you fragrant, lemon‑tinged foliage that’s green in the middle and edged or splashed with gold, plus the same tough, drought‑tolerant genes you expect...
German thyme (Thymus vulgaris, usually sold as “German Winter” or “Winter thyme”) is a compact, upright thyme bred to shrug off cold and keep producing fragrant leaves even when other thymes tap out. It has very small, often rounded leaves packed with aromatic oils, a robust, savory flavor, and a reputation for being one of...
Silver thyme and its close cousins—often sold as Silver Thyme, Silver Edge Thyme, ‘Silver Queen’, ‘Argenteus’, or other variegated cultivars—are all about combining thyme’s toughness and flavor with showier foliage. These plants have small green leaves with distinct silver or white edges, forming low mounds that look at home in containers, along paths, and in...
Lemon thyme (usually Thymus citriodorus or Thymus × citriodorus) is what you get when you cross classic thyme with a bright lemon twist. It has the same toughness and low‑maintenance attitude as other Mediterranean thymes but adds a clean citrus aroma that jumps out in teas, fish, chicken, roasted veggies, and even desserts and drinks....
Caraway thyme (Thymus herba‑barona) is one of those herbs that pulls double duty: it gives you a strong, caraway‑like flavor for breads, meat dishes, and hearty soups, and it also spreads into a low, tough mat you can use as living mulch or ground cover. Think of it as thyme with a twist—more spice on...