Creeping Thyme - Ask Extension
I was wondering if you have any suggestions about the best way to grow creeping thyme--whether by seed, or by purchasing it at the greenhouses? I'm th...
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Creeping Thyme #906234
Asked June 18, 2025, 10:55 AM EDT
I was wondering if you have any suggestions about the best way to grow creeping thyme--whether by seed, or by purchasing it at the greenhouses? I'm thinking of trying to plant it on a hill off of our patio on the side of our house. The hill is pretty dense/clay-like soil... Is there a certain variety that is better than others? Our local greenhouse suggested "Mother of Thyme".
Marquette County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello Jen,
It's always best to get a soil test before planting a new crop. From what I was able to determine, creeping thyme needs well-drained soil. This doesn't mean that it can't tolerate clay soil as long as it drains well; creeping thyme doesn't do well in soggy soil. The following quotes and links I have found for you will give you good ideas about creeping thyme and other ground covers you may wish to use instead.
Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) - has white or purple flowers that bloom mid-summer through Fall. It grows to less than 6 inches, does best in well-drained soils, is drought tolerant, and is deer-resistant. This species is not native to Michigan. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/consider-a-flowering-bee-lawn-to-help-pollinators
Slow to moderate growth rate, aromatic foliage, pink, purple, white or red flowers in early summer, very pollinator friendly, tolerates light foot traffic. Dry, well-drained soil, full sun preferred
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/alternatives-to-lawn-groundcovers/
Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox ssp. arcticus; formerly Thymus serpyllum) is a close relative of culinary thymes such as French thyme or lemon thyme. Like its relatives, creeping thyme has foliage with a nice fragrance. Thymes are known for being tolerant of some foot traffic and have a low-growing habit, traits that are good for bee lawns.
Creeping thyme is a non-native plant that blooms from July to September, a somewhat shorter period than white clover. It does best in full sun and in sandy or loamy soil. It has small pink flowers that provide pollinators with mostly nectar and some pollen.
(This article also addresses using seeds or plugs if you can find them.)
Particularly for creeping thyme, which is trickier to get established from seed, sometimes small seedlings (called “plugs”) are used as another option for planting. Plugs can be hard to find, and this might only be an option for small sites due to the greater cost of plugs compared to seed.
https://extension.umn.edu/landscape-design/planting-and-maintaining-bee-lawn
I hope this information is helpful; however, don't hesitate to contact us again if you have questions or need more information.
Have a great summer!
It's always best to get a soil test before planting a new crop. From what I was able to determine, creeping thyme needs well-drained soil. This doesn't mean that it can't tolerate clay soil as long as it drains well; creeping thyme doesn't do well in soggy soil. The following quotes and links I have found for you will give you good ideas about creeping thyme and other ground covers you may wish to use instead.
Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) - has white or purple flowers that bloom mid-summer through Fall. It grows to less than 6 inches, does best in well-drained soils, is drought tolerant, and is deer-resistant. This species is not native to Michigan. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/consider-a-flowering-bee-lawn-to-help-pollinators
Slow to moderate growth rate, aromatic foliage, pink, purple, white or red flowers in early summer, very pollinator friendly, tolerates light foot traffic. Dry, well-drained soil, full sun preferred
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/alternatives-to-lawn-groundcovers/
Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox ssp. arcticus; formerly Thymus serpyllum) is a close relative of culinary thymes such as French thyme or lemon thyme. Like its relatives, creeping thyme has foliage with a nice fragrance. Thymes are known for being tolerant of some foot traffic and have a low-growing habit, traits that are good for bee lawns.
Creeping thyme is a non-native plant that blooms from July to September, a somewhat shorter period than white clover. It does best in full sun and in sandy or loamy soil. It has small pink flowers that provide pollinators with mostly nectar and some pollen.
(This article also addresses using seeds or plugs if you can find them.)
Particularly for creeping thyme, which is trickier to get established from seed, sometimes small seedlings (called “plugs”) are used as another option for planting. Plugs can be hard to find, and this might only be an option for small sites due to the greater cost of plugs compared to seed.
https://extension.umn.edu/landscape-design/planting-and-maintaining-bee-lawn
I hope this information is helpful; however, don't hesitate to contact us again if you have questions or need more information.
Have a great summer!
