Thymus vulgaris Golden - Golden Thyme

This Golden Thyme, known as Thymus vulgaris 'Gold' in Latin, is a rather compact variety of common thyme that stands out for its green-gold foliage. This shrub forms a beautiful ball adorned with small white-pink and highly nectar-bearing flowers in spring or summer. Its highly aromatic leaves combine well with those of Bay, Rosemary, and Parsley to create a perfect bouquet garni. It will perfume slow-cooked dishes, sauces, or can be used in infusions to treat digestive disorders. Common Thyme, a Mediterranean plant, is more sensitive to humidity than to cold. It thrives in limestone, rocky, and poor soils, as well as summer drought. It should be planted in full sun in a rockery, at the edge of a flowerbed, or in a pot for easy access.

Native to western and southern Europe, where it can be found naturally in scree slopes and garrigues, Common Thyme is an undershrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It forms small fragrant clumps with evergreen foliage. This honey-producing plant bears small flowers in summer, ranging in colour from white to mauve-pink depending on the variety. This 'Gold' variety forms a beautiful cushion measuring 20-30 cm (8-12in) in all directions, covered with tiny leaves that vary in colour from green-yellow to gold depending on the season. Its flowering is almost white.

Thyme is a hardy and easy-to-grow herb that thrives in poor, light, or even rocky and well-drained soils. If your soil is rather moist and clayey, we recommend growing it in a pot where it will thrive.

Harvest: Thyme can be harvested throughout the year because its leaves are evergreen. Preferably pick in the morning. Thyme is most fragrant during its flowering period in summer. Since it is necessary to prune it to maintain a beautiful compact shape, take the opportunity to stock up for the winter months!

Storage: Thyme is traditionally preserved by drying. After washing and drying the stems, hang the bouquets upside down in a dry and well-ventilated place. This is a simple and quick process that you can replace with freezing if you find it more convenient.

Gardener's tip: In the garden, don't hesitate to mix different types of plants by placing some herbs like Thyme in the middle of your perennial flower beds or in rockeries, along with lavender, creeping rosemary, or oregano. They will integrate perfectly and the often strong scents of aromatic plants are known to repel insects that may attack more sensitive plants, such as certain roses.