THYMUS 



LAVENDEB OBDEB 



MICEOMEEIA 745 



Culture and Propagation. — Only one 

 or two species are worth a place in the 

 garden, a warm, dry, and sheltered situa- 

 tion in the rookery or border suiting them 

 best in any ordinary soil. They may be 

 increased by seeds sown in cold frames, 

 or by cuttings of the young flowerless 

 shoots in spring inserted in sandy soil 

 under handlights. The plants may also 

 be divided in autumn. The cultivation 

 of Marjoram is dealt with separately at 

 p. 116S. 



O. Dictamnus {Cretan Dittany). — A 

 pretty little bush about 1 ft. high, native 

 of Crete, with blunt and broadly ovate 

 entire, thiokish leaves covered with a 

 dense wool on both sides. Flowers in 

 summer, pink or purple, in drooping Hop- 

 like heads. 



Except in the mildest parts of the south 

 of England and Ireland this species must 

 be considered as tender, and requires 

 glass protection in winter. 



Culture dc. as above. 



O. hybridum {0. pulchellum). — This 

 ornamental species is or was usually 

 grown under the name of 0. Tourneforti, 

 but is quite distinct from that smooth 

 species, and may probably be a hybrid 

 between 0. Dictamnus and 0. sipyleum. 

 It grows 12-18 in. high, and has almost 

 sessile, elliptic, hairy leaves f-1 in. long, 

 arranged in opposite pairs crosswise on 

 the hairy stems. Flowers in summer, 

 pale purple or pink, borne on candelabra- 

 like stems 8-12 in. high, and drooping in 

 clusters, reminding one somewhat of the 

 inflorescence of Briza maxima, the ovate 

 imbricating bracts almost concealing ■ 

 the flowers, which have long slender 

 tubes and protruding stamens. The true 

 plant is figured in the ' Gardeners' Chroni- 

 cle,' Feb. 1888, p. 233. It seems to be 

 quite hardy at Kew in the rock garden. 



Culture &c. as above. 



THYMUS (Thxmb). — A genus of 

 dwarf shrubs or undershrubs having small 

 entire leaves, those on the flower spikes 

 being reduced to bracts. Calyx ovoid, 

 10-13-nerved, 2-lipped. Corolla tube en- 

 closed in the calyx or protruding, limb 

 2-lipped. Stamens 4, usually protruding. 

 Nutlets ovoid or oblong, smooth. 



Culture and, Propagation. — The only 

 value possessed by the Thymes from a 

 flower garden point of view is that they 

 make excellent plants for carpeting the 

 rockery in dry poor places where few 



other plants will thrive. Once they have 

 taken a hold of the soil they soon spread 

 and make dense small-leaved cushions 

 which look very charming when studded 

 with the clusters of small flowers. They 

 may all be increased by dividing the 

 plants in autumn, or by putting cuttings 

 into prepared beds of fine sandy soil 

 during the summer in shady places. 

 Seeds may also be sown in cold frames 

 in spring. 



T. Chamaedrys. — A British plant with 

 wiry stems and oval elliptic leaves 

 usually contracted rather abruptly into a 

 stalk. Flowers in summer and autumn, 

 pale purple. The variety montanus {T. 

 nummularius) is a beautiful carpet plant 

 with smaR Hght green leaves almost 

 hidden in July with masses of white 

 flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



T. Serpyllum {Brotherwort ; Wild 

 Thyme). — A British plant with trailing 

 flat green quite entire ovate or obovate 

 lance-shaped leaves, ^-J in. long, and 

 rosy -purple flowers from June to August. 

 The sweet-scented Lemon Thyme (often 

 called T. citriodorus) is a variety with 

 smaller leaves, and its golden-leaved form 

 aureus makes an exquisite carpet and 

 looks particularly handsome during the 

 bleak winter months. The variety lamu- 

 ginosus has the leaves and young shoots 

 clothed with long wooUy hairs. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



The Common or Garden Thyme {T. 

 vulgaris) is dealt with at p. 1165. Besides 

 its value as a herb, it makes an excellent 

 rock plant. 



MICROMERIA. —A large genus of 

 undershrubs or herbs, with opposite 

 leaves, and usually small purple or white 

 flowers, borne in axillary or spiked whorls, 

 rarely in cymes or panicles. 



M. Piperella. — This is the only species 

 of any garden value. It is a native of 

 S.W. Europe, and grows about 3 in. high, 

 having ovate leaves, sometimes heart- 

 shaped at the base. The flowers are pro- 

 duced in late summer, in clusters, and 

 have both calyx and corolla dovmy outside. 



Culture amd Propagation. — This 

 plant flourishes in ordinary good garden 

 soil, and is appropriate for warm sunny 

 corners of the rockery. It requires a 

 little protection in winter, either by means 

 of a small handlight or piece of glass, or 

 a few bracken leaves during severe frosts. 



