Thyme is an attractive and tasty herb and evergreen plant that grows in the sunshine and can be harvested all year round.

You can grow a shop-bought, young plant to grow on or grow it from seed.

Just sow the seeds lightly in small pots and propagate them until seedlings are large enough to handle and you can thin them out or prick them out and re-pot them. They require gentle watering, and the seeds are best sown during early Spring.

Thyme is drought tolerant and should be planted in well-drained soil. You can add gravel or collars so that the plant is protected from the wet soil. They thrive in containers with added grit or sand too. Plant them in a sunny position and shelter from excessive rain.

It may need extra protection from the rain during winter and very wet spells.

Snip the stems to keep it in shape after flowering, and regular harvesting will also encourage bushy, re-growth.

You can pick leaves regularly, all year round, which can be used fresh or dried for storage. 

Thyme can become woody after a few years. Divide up the roots and re-plant them.