Thyme in bloom; Cinnamon basil likes its pot

Why are thymes not more widely grown? For one thing, most are not showy; for another, they are perennials that need two years from seed to reach usable size, and a similar time from cuttings. They don't give quick color. They are quiet plants, best appreciated by the touching, sniffing, strolling and sitting sort of gardener.

The two main sorts of thymes are the common or garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris in its many varieties) -- generally upright growing; and creeping or mother-of-thyme (Thymus serpyllum or praecox), a type that tends to creep. Many other species also exist. Within the two main groups are many distinct varietal forms, leading all in all to widespread confusion about names, and what kind belongs in which category. Even nursery-folk disagree. As a result, for one example, the lemon thyme you order from one nursery may not be the same as a lemon thyme ordered from another.

Source: Lee, Rand B. "You'll have a wonderful thyme." Flower & Garden Magazine June-July 1985: 16+. Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture. Web. 1 June 2013.

 

I'll have to transplant these soon. Sometimes these small pots are just right. Last year they worked out well for individual pansy plants.