Summary

A lush green lawn all year long is almost every householder ’s dream . alas , it is rarely a reality . Lack of rain and hang glide temperature often turn healthy emerald - colour Mary Jane into asea of brownat dissimilar times of the year .

Whether you live in a forever dry area or are subject to periodic drought experimental condition , there is an alternative to crunchy , brown grass : thyme .

Thymeis a drouth - tolerant dry land cover that can supervene upon traditional grass for a healthy , green lawn . Learn more about the types of thyme to discover the right one for your pace .

Red bleeding heart flowers

1. Creeping Thyme

This fragrant herbaceous perennial is an undemanding sweetheart with lavender to purple prime that flower from June to September . It grow chop-chop , to a stature of 3 to 6 inches , and will spread over the ground , creating a cushiony surface area of fuzzy , blue - green leaf when not in peak . It can even withstand moderate pes dealings .

Creeping Thymethrives in zones 5 to 8 and is at its best when planted in well - drained stain and pick up six or more hour of full Lord’s Day . It is drought - resistant and will give off a savoury aroma when walked on . It works well as a reserve for grass or as a ground cover betweenrocksor pave stones . pussyfoot Thyme is evergreen plant in meek wintertime .

2. Elfin Thyme

Elfin Thyme is a sun - lovingperennial shrubthat grows airless to the ground and does well in dry soil environments with upright drainage . It thrives in zone 4 to 8b and necessitate full sun of six hours or more . This evergreen works reaches 1 to 3 inches in peak and work well as a lawn replacement or as a ground cover for edging drive , walkways , andflower gardens .

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Small garden pink , lilac-colored , or empurpled flowers bloom during the summertime , complementing the silvery - green leave . This ground screen plant emit a subtle herb - like scent when step on , and its leaves are edible . Elfin Thyme parting can be used to add up nip to your favorite ravisher when falsify .

Hosta edging along the garden border

3. Mother of Thyme

Glossy dark teal leafage punctuate by long - blooming , bell - regulate fuchsia or purple flower make this aromaticgrass alternativea true feast for the senses . The flowers bloom June to September and willattract a short ton of butterfliesto your lawn . It grows up to 2 to 3 column inch and thrives in geographical zone 4a to 9b .

Mother of Thyme is a short , rugged bush , but it can easy be subbed in for grass thanks to its thick carpet - like leaves . It loves full cheerfulness of at least six hours and well - drained soil , and it is suitable for foot dealings . female parent of Thyme can also be known as Breckland Thyme and Wild Thyme .

4. ‘Pink Chintz’ Creeping Thyme

lead - alike salmonpink flowersand olive green leaf make this soil - hugging shrub a material show - show-stopper . ' Pink Chintz ' loves full Lord’s Day of more than six hour and blooms abundantly throughout June and July , releasing a mass scent when stepped on . It thrive in zones 5 to 8 and reaches a height of 2 to 4 inches .

' Pink Chintz ' may look frail , but it is even more drouth - tolerant than other thymes , making it an excellent pick as a lawn replacement . It ’s evergreen in mild climates and thrives in poor soil as long as it ’s not too damp .

5. Red Creeping Thyme

Red Creeping Thyme is better known for its showy scarlet - pink flowers that reach 2 to 3 in in altitude and heyday throughout the summer . The plant life ’s fragrant racy - light-green foliage is well - become to land screen or as a makeweight on astone path .

It will grow in a grasp of well - drained surround and soils but is at its skilful in full Dominicus for six or more hours . It is drought - patient of and is not susceptible to plague or disease unless plant in a damp environment . This variety of thyme flourish in zones 5 to 8 but go in cool and warm climate alike – it is evergreen only at milder temperatures .

6. ‘Spicy Orange’ Creeping Thyme

' Spicy Orange ' Creeping Thyme is drought - kind and expand in geographical zone 3 to 9 . It requires good drainage and full sun of six or more hours for its gullible phonograph needle - shaped leaf and lavender flowers to flourish .

This full-bodied , low - grow primer coat concealment give 2 to 4 inches in height . It may not have orange flowers , but it does boast a distinctorange skin - scented perfume that attracts a lot of butterflies and bee . Although it only blooms in the spring , its odor lasts yr - round .

7. Woolly Thyme

Woolly Thyme buzz off its name from its pocket-sized , fuzzy , silvern - green leaves . This low - growing works of 1 to 3 inches is covered by pinkish flowers in the summer and is idealistic for ground cover because of its delicate rug - like appearance .

It is a robust plant that thrives in zona 5a to 8b but tolerates drought , defilement , and poor dirt and is at its best in full sun ( six hour or more ) . Woolly Thyme is prone to both root word rot and crown decompose in clay soils or wet locations , however . Opt instead for well - drained loam , sandy , or rocky soils .

A Thyme-ly Lawn

A thyme lawn is more than just pretty to look at . It ’s a good solution for those who witness it a task to cut the gage . While most lawns demand to be cut every one or two weeks , a thyme lawn requires no mowing because most salmagundi are 4 inches or less .

Thyme is not only deer- andrabbit - repellant , it is also notable forkilling weeds . It expand so profusely that its rootage system gives the weeds no space to grow , and unlike a lawn that should be reseeded at least once every year , this perennial herb demand to be planted only once .

Have you count a thyme lawn ? Which variety of thyme would you choose ?

Gardening tools in a basket

creeping thyme lawn

creeping thyme

elfin thyme

wild creeping Mother of Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) around a stone, rock garden perennial

Thyme creeping, pink chintz, green background of small inflorescences,

Thymus serpyllum ‘Coccineus’ - Red Creeping Thyme

Thymus citriodorus or lemon thyme or doone valley green plant background

Thymus lanuginosus Woolly Thyme garden groundcover