THYME

There are many types of thyme but I grow just two: lemon thyme and common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, both of which grow well and are delicious.

Of all herbs, this is the one that cannot tolerate shade, even from itself! I cut it back hard after flowering to encourage a compact form with plenty of the soft new growth that is best for cooking, then cut it back again in autumn. Nevertheless, plants always become leggy and bare at the base after a few years, so a constant flow of fresh plants is needed every year to replace them. The easiest way to do this is from seed sown in spring to make young plants a year later, or from cuttings taken in late summer.