Herbs - Thyme

Thyme grows like a very small bush. It stays green during the winter, and has old wood and new wood. However, I don't tend to prune it. I get a new plant if it gets too leggy! It seems to seed itself as well, but not strongly.

The flowers are attractive to bees and other insects, like many herbs.

The song Scarborough Fair has a chorus of "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme".

Thyme is used for flavouring. The leaves are very small, and grow on quite woody stems. You can chop up the stems and leaves vey finely, so this woddiness doesn't matter. Or you can put a branch of thyme on top of the stew (or whatever you're cooking) and remove it before eating. Or you can strip the leaves off the stem, and use those. I don't think that the stem has any taste!

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