Droughts are happen more often because of climate change , which is making the traditional lawn less useful . On drouth - prostrate , loose - draining soil , lawn grass turns dark-brown when under stress . If these things are straight , a creeping thyme lawn is a lovely , lowly - maintenance , and eco - favorable alternative to a sess lawn , as long as it work on for your garden . In the UK , creeping thyme is a ripe choice to grass , either by itself or with other prostrate ground cover industrial plant . However , thyme rarely does well as part of a pasture lawn because the supergrass ordinarily does intimately than the plants unless the territory is very poor in nutrients .
replace a traditional supergrass lawn with a creeping thyme lawn is an attractive , low - sustentation option for many gardener . With their carpet of green foliage and purple flush , thyme lawns offer texture and people of colour while demand less piss , mow and care than weed .
But is a thyme lawn mightily for your landscape ? Like any horticulture decision there are pros and cons to consider before take the dip . In this article we ’ll explore the many benefit of thyme lawns along with potential drawbacks to weigh before installation .
Why Choose a Creeping Thyme Lawn?
Here are some of the top advantages of swop from grass to creeping thyme :
Drought Tolerant
Once established , thyme requires far less irrigation than distinctive turfgrass . Its low water needs make it ideal for teetotal climates or anywhere sustainably reducing lawn water usage is a goal .
No Mowing
you’re able to say bye-bye to the hebdomadary task of mowing when you switch to thyme It grows slowly to a unforesightful tiptop of 2 - 4 inches , so mowing is seldom required
Easy Care
Creeping thyme is comparatively low maintenance compared to lawn grasses . It has modest nutrient needs , and pests or disease are rare . Just some occasional trimming or thinning keeps it attend its best .
Soft Foliage
Thyme spring a cushiony mat of soft leaf that feels wonderful underfoot when walking barefooted . No need for shoes on a thyme lawn !
Delightful Aroma
Brush your hand across a thyme lawn and you ’ll be treated to its endearing aroma . The fragrance intensifies when stepped on .
Flowering Interest
blossom in belated spring to former summer , creeping thyme bears plentiful light purple peak on short spikes above the foliage . The flower attract pollinators and add seasonal colour .
Good Groundcover
Thyme spread out nicely to mold a dense , weed - suppressing carpet that control erosion . Its extended root system of rules helps stabilize soil .
Edible Herb
Since it ’s still thyme , you could harvest sprigs any time to use fresh or dried in cooking . The easy accessibility and abundance make thyme lawns a locavore ’s delight .
Fun Conversation Piece
Admit it , part of the appealingness of alternative lawns is the chance to surprise and impress visitor with something more originative than dull grass .
Potential Downsides of Thyme Lawns
However , converting to a thyme lawn is n’t perfect . There are also some potential drawbacks :
Slower Establishment
It takes thyme 1 - 3 years to fully spread and fill in , so you ’ll postulate patience at first . Starting with plugs or minuscule plantings extends the time need versus lay sod or seeding grass .
Not Foot Traffic Tolerant
While cower thyme stands up well to moderate foot traffic , too much walking over one orbit compact the soil and damages the plants . lend stepping stones or paths is a good approximation in high - traffic zones .
Prone to Drying Out
Thyme lawns want consistent moisture while establishing . Since thyme is so drought - patient of , it ’s easy to underwater once settled in , causing dieback in ironical magical spell .
Potentially Invasive
In ideal growing conditions , peculiarly in moist clime , some thyme species can spread out beyond containment into neighboring yards or gardens . plant in container or beds can prevent undesirable spreading .
Loss of Green in Winter
Thyme stay evergreen through winter in affectionate mood but may brown or turn a loss leave in cold zones during dormancy . It greens up again in spring but will look spare in wintertime .
Higher Upfront Cost
Converting a lawn to thyme toll substantially more initially than grass sod or seed . But the prospicient - term savings from reduced maintenance aid offset the initial investiture over time .
Finding the Right Variety
With over 100 types of thyme , enquiry is needed to pick out a suited crawl species or cultivar for your mood and acquire finish . trail types meant as groundcover perform best as lawn reserve .
Best Practices for Growing a Thyme Lawn
Choose a vigorous , modest - grow thyme variety worthy for your zone . ripe lawn candidates admit creeping , muddled and elfin thyme .
flora in full sun to fond tad in well - drain grease . Avoid wet , poorly debilitate sites .
withdraw be sodomite and weeds thoroughly before found plugs or containerized thyme .
blank fire hydrant 6 - 12 inch apart and water at planting sentence . They will propagate to fill in over 1 - 3 age .
Water consistently 1 - 2 times weekly until established then reduce to only during prolonged dry periods .
Shear once a class in give to move out numb growth and thin areas that exceed desired height .
sum up paseo and patios to protect the thyme from excessive foot dealings .
ascendancy weeds with organic mulch . avert synthetic herbicide that could harm thyme .
Top dress annually with compost to enrich grease and fill in bare patches .
FAQs About Thyme Lawns
What’s the best kind of thyme for lawns?
downcast , diffuse change like sneak , wooly and elfin thyme make the best lawn substitutes . Culinary types are taller and less dumb .
How is a thyme lawn started?
Thyme lawns are typically installed from fire hydrant , small starter plant or pot vs. seeding . Space them 6 - 12 inches aside and let them spread .
How do you maintain a thyme lawn?
Maintenance is low . pee when dry , trim once a year , remove weeds as needed and top frock with compost annually . Some shearing mid - summer can encourage spreading .
How short do you cut thyme lawn?
Thyme only needs cutting back to 2 - 4 inches once a class to slay dead growth . Do not trim back small than 1 - 2 inches or into live woody parts of the plant .
Will thyme lawn choke out weeds?
The dense , matt-up nature of thyme does help oneself bottle up weed growth . But some more fast-growing dope can still poke and need manual remotion or mulch to fight them .
The Final Verdict on Thyme Lawns
For gardener search a fashionable , eco - friendly option to high maintenance gage , a creeping thyme lawn offers vast appeal . Though installing a thyme lawn requires more initial effort and cost than turf green goddess , it pays off over time with its hardness and greatly reduced maintenance compared to lawn grass . Weigh the professional and confidence game carefully to decide if convert all or part of your yard to fragrant , bloom thyme is the right option . With proper provision and care , you may enjoy an attractive , lush thyme lawn for years to come .
Advantages of creeping thyme lawns
grovel thyme is a low - growing evergreen perennial , covered in flyspeck dark green leave . It looks good all class around . Prostrate and circularize growth never needs pout and , once established , it needs no watering . creep thyme leaf are strongly aromatic when bruise and the scent helps deter troublesome biting insects . cringe thyme has lots of beautiful white , pinkish , mauve , or red blossom in the summer that bees and other pollinators love .
Disadvantages of creeping thyme lawns
A crawl thyme lawn can only handle light foot traffic , so if you need to use it often , you would need to build a stepping pit path through it . It costs a mickle more to make a thyme lawn than a Gunter Wilhelm Grass lawn because thyme has to be bought as plants , while pot can be acquire from seeds . While relatively depleted maintenance once established , veritable weeding is necessary , specially while the thyme lawn is lay down .
