Creeping Thymus, A Ground Cover With Benefits

Of all the ground covers we have ever tried, creeping thymus is far and away our favorite. This delightful plant is not overly invasive here in Zone 5/6, but it also does a good job at keeping weeds at bay. We planted it by the road, on a rocky slope that gets hit with road salt in the winter months and car fumes all year. Still, it thrives.

For the most part you don’t need to water or provide regular maintenance for established plants. You can even walk on it and it will give off that wonderful smell of thyme. To increase your stand of creeping thymus, simply divide the plants in spring and replant. Water the newly divided plants until they are established.

Your spring labors will be well rewarded, as later in the season creeping thymus will give you a wonderful display of purplish pink flowers. The blooms are so attractive to bees that my mother used to say it looked like the flowers were swaying, when it was really the bees all over them. With the decline in the bee population, this is a wonderful plant to add to your garden.

Gardening Jones is a Pennsylvania-based vegetable gardener. Read her other Horticulture posts here and learn more at gardeningjones.com.