Droughts are happening more often because of climate change, which is making the traditional lawn less useful. On drought-prone, free-draining soil, lawn grass turns brown when under stress. If these things are true, a creeping thyme lawn is a lovely, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly alternative to a grass lawn, as long as it works for your garden. In the UK, creeping thyme is a good alternative to grass, either by itself or with other prostrate ground cover plants. However, thyme rarely does well as part of a grass lawn because the grass usually does better than the plants unless the soil is very poor in nutrients.
Replacing a traditional grass lawn with a creeping thyme lawn is an attractive, low-maintenance alternative for many gardeners. With their carpets of green foliage and purple blooms, thyme lawns offer texture and color while requiring less water, mowing and care than grass.
But is a thyme lawn right for your landscape? Like any gardening decision there are pros and cons to consider before taking the plunge. In this article we’ll explore the many benefits of thyme lawns along with potential drawbacks to weigh before installation.
Why Choose a Creeping Thyme Lawn?
Here are some of the top advantages of switching from grass to creeping thyme:
Drought Tolerant
Once established, thyme requires far less irrigation than typical turfgrass. Its low water needs make it ideal for dry climates or anywhere sustainably reducing lawn water usage is a goal.
No Mowing
You can say goodbye to the weekly chore of mowing when you switch to thyme It grows slowly to a short height of 2-4 inches, so mowing is rarely required
Easy Care
Creeping thyme is relatively low maintenance compared to lawn grasses. It has modest nutrient needs, and pests or diseases are rare. Just some occasional trimming or thinning keeps it looking its best.
Soft Foliage
Thyme forms a cushiony mat of soft foliage that feels wonderful underfoot when walking barefoot. No need for shoes on a thyme lawn!
Delightful Aroma
Brush your hand across a thyme lawn and you’ll be treated to its lovely scent. The fragrance intensifies when stepped on.
Flowering Interest
Blooming in late spring to early summer, creeping thyme bears plentiful light purple flowers on short spikes above the foliage. The blossoms attract pollinators and add seasonal color.
Good Groundcover
Thyme spreads nicely to form a dense, weed-suppressing carpet that controls erosion. Its extensive root system helps stabilize soils.
Edible Herb
Since it’s still thyme, you can harvest sprigs any time to use fresh or dried in cooking. The easy accessibility and abundance make thyme lawns a locavore’s delight.
Fun Conversation Piece
Admit it, part of the appeal of alternative lawns is the opportunity to surprise and impress visitors with something more creative than boring grass.
Potential Downsides of Thyme Lawns
However, converting to a thyme lawn isn’t perfect. There are also some potential drawbacks:
Slower Establishment
It takes thyme 1-3 years to fully spread and fill in, so you’ll need patience at first. Starting with plugs or small plantings extends the time needed versus laying sod or seeding grass.
Not Foot Traffic Tolerant
While creeping thyme stands up well to moderate foot traffic, too much walking over one area compact the soil and damages the plants. Adding stepping stones or paths is a good idea in high-traffic zones.
Prone to Drying Out
Thyme lawns need consistent moisture while establishing. Since thyme is so drought-tolerant, it’s easy to underwater once settled in, causing dieback in dry spells.
Potentially Invasive
In ideal growing conditions, particularly in moist climates, some thyme species can spread beyond containment into neighboring yards or gardens. Planting in containers or beds can prevent unwanted spreading.
Loss of Green in Winter
Thyme remains evergreen through winter in warm climates but may brown or lose leaves in colder zones during dormancy. It greens up again in spring but will look bare in winter.
Higher Upfront Cost
Converting a lawn to thyme costs substantially more initially than grass sod or seed. But the long-term savings from reduced maintenance help offset the initial investment over time.
Finding the Right Variety
With over 100 types of thyme, research is needed to select a suitable creeping species or cultivar for your climate and growing goals. Trailing types meant as groundcovers perform best as lawn substitutes.
Best Practices for Growing a Thyme Lawn
Follow these tips for successfully growing a thriving thyme lawn:
-
Choose a vigorous, low-growing thyme variety suitable for your zone. Good lawn candidates include creeping, wooly and elfin thyme.
-
Plant in full sun to partial shade in well-draining soil. Avoid wet, poorly draining sites.
-
Remove existing sod and weeds thoroughly before planting plugs or containerized thyme.
-
Space plugs 6-12 inches apart and water at planting time. They will spread to fill in over 1-3 years.
-
Water consistently 1-2 times weekly until established then reduce to only during extended dry periods.
-
Shear once a year in spring to remove dead growth and thin areas that exceed desired height.
-
Add walkways and patios to protect the thyme from excessive foot traffic.
-
Control weeds with organic mulch. Avoid synthetic herbicides that could harm thyme.
-
Top dress annually with compost to enrich soil and fill in bare patches.
FAQs About Thyme Lawns
What’s the best kind of thyme for lawns?
Low, spreading varieties like creeping, wooly and elfin thyme make the best lawn substitutes. Culinary types are taller and less dense.
How is a thyme lawn started?
Thyme lawns are typically installed from plugs, small starter plants or pots vs. seeding. Space them 6-12 inches apart and let them spread.
How do you maintain a thyme lawn?
Maintenance is low. Water when dry, trim once a year, remove weeds as needed and top dress with compost annually. Some shearing mid-summer can encourage spreading.
How short do you cut thyme lawn?
Thyme only needs cutting back to 2-4 inches once a year to remove dead growth. Do not cut lower than 1-2 inches or into live woody parts of the plants.
Will thyme lawn choke out weeds?
The dense, matting nature of thyme does help suppress weed growth. But some more aggressive weeds can still intrude and need manual removal or mulch to fight them.
The Final Verdict on Thyme Lawns
For gardeners seeking a stylish, eco-friendly alternative to high maintenance grass, a creeping thyme lawn offers huge appeal. Though installing a thyme lawn requires more initial effort and cost than turf grass, it pays off over time with its ruggedness and greatly reduced upkeep compared to lawn grasses. Weigh the pros and cons carefully to decide if converting all or part of your yard to fragrant, flowering thyme is the right choice. With proper planning and care, you can enjoy an attractive, lush thyme lawn for years to come.
Advantages of creeping thyme lawns
Creeping thyme is a low-growing evergreen perennial, covered in tiny dark green leaves. It looks good all year round. Prostrate and spreading growth never needs mowing and, once established, it needs no watering. Creeping thyme leaves are strongly aromatic when bruised and the scent helps deter troublesome biting insects. Creeping thyme has lots of beautiful white, pink, mauve, or red flowers in the summer that bees and other pollinators love.
Disadvantages of creeping thyme lawns
A creeping thyme lawn can only handle light foot traffic, so if you want to use it often, you would need to build a stepping stone path through it. It costs a lot more to make a thyme lawn than a grass lawn because thyme has to be bought as plants, while grass can be grown from seeds. While relatively low maintenance once established, regular weeding is necessary, especially while the thyme lawn is establishing.
