A great way to add some interest to your garden, bringing colour and encouraging pollinators is a Thyme lawn. They are an appealing alternative to grass for lawns and are becoming increasingly popular, especially to give a lower maintenance garden or in areas of low use. A Thyme lawn is not only drought resistant but it generally requires much less water than a traditional lawn and little or no mowing. Most varieties of Thyme will tolerate low foot traffic, where you are expecting to have a higher foot fall it’s advised to add some paving slabs or gravel. Another bonus is that it will produce an abundance of pretty flowers in the spring/summer as well as a beautiful aroma when stepped upon. You can either plant one variety or why not try a selection to grow a patchwork lawn.
Choose the location of your lawn in an area which has lots of sunlight. When preparing the area for planting it’s important to clear the area of weeds. Ensure the soil has plenty of drainage as the plants do not like to be waterlogged. Plant the Thyme about 6-8 inches apart (6″ apart equates to 36 plants per square metre)
Ideal times for planting a Thyme Lawn is between March and May or September and November.
Most of the creeping varieties of thyme are suitable for planting, see some of our favourites here:
- Thyme Creeping Lemon
- Thyme Creeping Red
- Thyme Doone Valley
- Thyme Pink Chintz
- Thyme Snowdrift
- Thyme Woolly
Or have a look at our creeping collection by clicking here
Another popular lawn is the chamomile lawn, to find out more can see our growing tip page here
