The Darling Thymes

I have a fondness for the personality of the thymes; I am in the process of collecting them and adding them to the garden here and there. Lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus 'Silver Queen') in bloom (top) is a always abuzz with beneficial insects. The wooly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) in the foreground has tripled its size in the past 2 years. Wooly is our driveway herb garden mascot; no one can resist petting him when they walk by. The small herb garden was designed to fit within a circle of antique bricks from a tobacco warehouse in Wilson, NC. It is situated next to the concrete driveway where the herbs stay warm and dry. In the dappled shade of a Japanese maple, the thymes share the bed space here with lemon balm, Italian oregano, cilantro, and several daylilies.