^ The Scented Qarden ^ 



foliage) ; T. herba barona (a Corsican variety, caraway 

 scented) ; T. hyemalis, T. mecans (carpeter) ; T. ser- 

 pyllum and varieties ; T. odoratus (very fragrant) ; T. 

 pyrenaicus (lilac flowers) ; T. Marschallianus (narrow 

 foliage and pinkish flowers) ; T. villosus (purple crimson) ; 

 T. balearicus (creamy mauve flowers) ; T. pulciflorus 

 (very upright with cream-coloured flowers). Then there 

 is T. membranaceus, which was shown by Mr. Ashton 

 Lofthouse at one of the July shows. This delightful 

 thyme, a hardy plant for the rock garden, was collected 

 in Spain in 1924 and again in 1926, at an altitude of 

 6000 feet. The white flowers are long and tubular, and 

 are set in membraneous cream-coloured bracts. The 

 flowers smell strongly of sage and the leaves, when bruised, 

 have a rich aromatic scent. 



No thyme has the wonderful scent of the wild thyme 

 (T. serpyllum) which grows on our downlands, and whose 

 clean, delicious perfume has been beloved by fairies and 

 bees from time immemorial. In the Gardener's Laby- 

 rinth (1577), we find that * the owners of hives have a 

 perfite forsight and knowledge what the increase or 

 yeelde of honye will be everie yeare, by the plentiful 

 or small number of flowres growing and appearing on 

 the thyme about the Summer solstice. For this increaseth 

 and yeeldeth most friendly floures for the bees, which 

 render a coloure and savoure to the Honey.' ' Bee- 

 alluring thyme,' as Spenser called it, in his Muiopotmos, 

 was a favourite herb for paths in the days when they 

 delighted in making sweet-scented walks. ' Those flowers 

 which perfume the air most delightfully, not passed by 

 as the rest, but being trodden upon and crushed, are three, 

 that is Burnet, Wild Thyme and Watermints ; therefore 

 148 



