The history and cultural lore surrounding thyme are as rich and colorful as that of rosemary. And because they are notorious cross-pollinators, there is no way of knowing how many varieties actually exist at any moment in time. New hybrids appear every year.

In terms of growth habit, thymes fall into three general categories: upright subshrubs 12 to 18 inches tall, creeping herbs up to 6 inches tall, and very flat creepers that achieve only 1 to 2 inches in height. Most of the culinary herbs fall in the upright category, as they have larger leaves for flavoring the pot, and their upright habit makes harvest very much easier than the creeping varieties.

The creeping thymes make lovely ground covers — some blooming readily. Our hot summer suns make survival in rock gardens a distinct challenge for the creeping thymes, though this use is common in cool climates. They are especially lovely, though, when planted on the edges of containers with other more upright plants, as they spill gracefully over the edges of a large pot.

The large group of creeping thymes include some truly tiny-leaved ones — Elfin Thyme and Woolly Thyme varieties are two — and in cool rather dry mountainous areas with rocky, gravelly soil, these types truly thrive. Growing them successfully in our region requires significant attention to drainage, soil, and direct sunlight, which can cook the tiny plants spilling over rocks. A rock garden built on a slope, with a gravel element to the soil, would be best for the Elfin and Woolly varieties, as well as for other creeping thymes. Even the smallest creeping thymes can be quite pretty, though, in a container.