I'm looking for a source for thyme seeds in bulk that I can plant between my stepping stones. If I can't find them, is there anything else that would work that I could grow from seed? I want them to be very low growing.
Thanks
Darin
Thyme seeds
I think this came up recently over in Cottage Gardening... let me see if I can find you some sources.
Johnny's Selected Seeds has them http://www.johnnyseeds.com/home.aspx?ct=HG, although they don't give a height for their creeping thyme (might be worth calling to ask).
I also found some at http://www.thymegarden.com/. The seeds are a little more expensive there, but they do have an especially low growing variety listed.
Fedco Seeds also has creeping thyme, and they give the height as 2 inches. http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
I have tried the thyme garden, but they are out of stock. The other two have seeds, but not really what I was looking for. I would really like them to grow less than 2".
Darin
The T. serphyllum varieties that I have (purchased as plants) are growing more like 1 inch high... I suppose you could always try sowing seeds and then move the plants elsewhere as a nice border if they didn't suit your stepping stones.
If you want to be certain of having a very low growing cultivar, I would suggest selecting several plants that suit you at a local nursery and growing them on for a couple months in a window box, maybe two plants per box... water regularly, and encourage the plants to spread by layering the shoots laterally across the box... before long, the entire box will be filled with thme plants with good roots, and you can easily divide the mass into plugs or strips for planting out. I've done this on several occasions when I wanted lots of plants for a particular space but didn't want to pay for lots of plants.
If you don't have a good selection where you live, I see Bluestone has Elfin Thyme, http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/THELS.html?from_search=1, and I'm sure other places carry it also.
IMO, thyme that is described as growing to 2 inches tall will be just fine between stepping stones... if you're planning to plant between them, I'd space the stones several inches apart, and the thyme will mound up softly between them. Also, I'd use larger stones than you think you need, because the thyme can and will overgrow your pathway by at least a couple of inches... you don't want to be continually clipping it in order to have an obvious place to put your feet.
Thats a good point! Thanks for the info. I'll try that!
The only reason I thought about seeds is that I have about 350 to 400 feet of pathway to plant.
That's a lot of pathway, but it sounds wonderful... we are going to really want to see photos of it! Actually, there's been a bit of discussion about paths lately over in the Cottage Gardening forum, so any info you could share there as you create your path would be much appreciated!
I've tried to think of alternative, but thyme is one of the lowest growing groundcovers I know.... actually, I do have some sort of creeping euonymus that I got locally that seems to be staying very low (about 1 inch), but I doubt that one is an option from seed. Hmmm, I have seen people use Irish Moss between stepping stones, but I'm guessing thyme would be better suited to your climate.
If you really need to start flats and flats of plugs, you could also consider sticking cuttings of thyme... that might go faster than layering in a windowbox planter.
You know, pics would be great!! I'll try to get out tomorrow and take some before and after. Well.....Before pics really! It's such a large undertaking, that I'm having to do it in stages. I do have some pics that I took a few years back when I started all of this insanity. I'll post a few for you.
I am trying irish moss out in one of my other beds, but I don't think it will take the full sun in my area. Actually, I don't think anything will here.
This pis is in '03
This on was taken in '03 as well.
This one was taken in '05
This one was taken in '06.
The tall trees were 12" tall when I planted them. They grew that tall in one year. They are called Paulownia Americana Elongotta. They have long lavender blooms in the spring. The first year the new leaves are about 3 feet wide.
BTW, this is just a VERY small part of my yard.
Ok! Now that I have hijacked my own thread, back to the matter at hand. I am putting down flagstone along the pathway and around the beds. It will start out in the front yard and wind it's way through my backyard.
drsaul, I was going to give you a link to the thread that critter referred to, but I can't remember where it was. there are only 2 types of creeping thyme available from seed...wild thyme (thymus serphyllum which is probably the one you see at the links critter gave you) and 'Magic Carpet' lemon thyme. any of the others can be grown from cuttings or layering, as critter suggested.
from everything I've read, thyme will grow where it is hot & dry, so it should work well for you. I absolutely love creeping thyme and have 9 varieties growing in various places. it will tend to grow out over your flagstones, so leave it some room, as critter also mentioned. I have one plant of woolly thyme that is about 3' across and has creeped out over my sidewalk a ways.
btw, I'm glad you hijacked your own thread. your gardens are wonderful! I hope you'll update with pics of the flagstone. I'm putting in a rose garden this spring with a flagstone walk thru it (on a much smaller scale than yours) and was planning on experimenting with irish & scotch moss and cr. thyme to see what I like best. it's never hot AND dry here LOL
good luck & keep us posted. you need to compare notes with brigidlily in Lumberton, TX who is making an herb garden with creeping thyme between her stepping stones
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/675791/
jan (aka gram)
here's some Elfin thyme
here's the woolly thyme. it has since gotten quite a bit bigger, but I don't have a good pic. it would probably behave differently between the stepping stones, though.
those are both very flat, well under 2", maybe 2" when blooming. the woolly is grayer, fuzzy, and fewer blooms.
for comparison, here is golden thyme (left) and Thymus quinquecostatus ibukiensis (right, a Japanese thyme). the golden is 4-5", the other about 3". both very pretty, but probably not what you are looking for.
I thought about Magic carpet, but can't find the seeds. I have elphin thyme, but I can't get it to live through the summer. It just turns brown and crunchy. I love your roses! The thyme looks fantastic under them!
Thanks for the link. I will check it out!!
Here is a pic of my patio I put in last year. I used a concrete mold and concrete color to get the effect I wanted. I'll never do that again!! Thats murder on the knees!!!
Darin
oh, wow, the patio is gorgeous! mine is stamped colored concrete, but I had it done. yours is fancier, and I'm sure a LOT cheaper. so even if you never do it again, you can point to it proudly!
I don't have any good pics, but you can see a bit of it here.
the elfin thyme is supposed to do well in hot & dry after it's established, but I think it needs watering until it gets a good root system going...maybe even provide it some artificial shade?
Hey, Darin -- I put a link to this thread in the cottage gardening forum, where there's a thread on creating paths, http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/680267/#new
You are doing some major fabulous landscaping and hardscaping!!
:-)
drsaul, I read somewhere (and I wish I could remember where) that pennyroyal will make a good groundcover as well. I'm thinking it might survive the summers down here better than thyme. I'm planting on putting in both and seeing what will take our sunlight. You have to be very careful with pennyroyal, though, especially if anyone is pregnant or tends toward photosensitivity. But it smells SO good when crushed.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/subcategory.aspx?category=205&subcategory=220
chamomile has been used for groundcover between stepping stones. I remember one English garden where it was grown up over a bench, so you could sit among the flowers. Also, you can use it for tea, very relaxing.
critterologist, Thank you for the words of encouragement and the link!!!!
brigidlily and gloria125, I will check them out!
I've been in Amarillo all day shopping. There goes the budget!!! LOL
We had a blizzard this morning. About an inch of snow with 70mph winds, but it all melted off by the afternoon.
I noticed that in my front flower bed, I have about 500 tulip bulbs poking their heads out. YIPPY!!!!!!!!
grampapa, are those earth boxes that you have the tomatos planted in? They look really healthy!!
darin, they're not earthboxes, but very similar. they're self-watering planters from Gardener's Supply. You can get them in what they call a 'tomato success kit' that comes with the trellis, red plastic mulch, tomato fertilizer, and the potting soil. when I took this pic they were doing great. they got really big (at least twice as tall as you see in this pic) and were the best looking tomato plants I ever grew. then right after the japanese beetles came (not sure if this was related) they got some kind of disease and dried right up. I don't like to spray, so by the time I figured out I really had a problem it was too late. It was late enough in the season that I had a fairly decent tomato crop anyway. but if it hadn't been for that, I think I would have had a bumper crop. those plants were gorgeous! I'll be ready for it this year. got some organic sprays and I'll spray earlier. I also had some 'Orange Belle' peppers (3 plants) in one box that did really well.
here's some of my 'Big Boys'. it wasn't a total loss
Zowie, gram, I wouldn't call that ANY kind of a loss! I just tucked a couple of roma tomatoes into my herb garden. I'm starting to call it my potager. Also a couple of cayenne peppers. I'm sure trusting we don't get a freeze again this spring!
Hello,
These aren't thyme seeds, but thyme plug trays at Mountain Valley Growers:
http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/herbsttov.htm
Good luck!
Joy