Amateur Gardening – 13 July 2019

13 JULY 2019AMATEUR GARDENING 59

Once upon a thyme...

I

T’S said the best things come in

small packages – well, if I were cast

away on a desert island, the plant

I’d rescue from the waves would

be wild thyme. This valuable alpine/herb

might be petite, but its usefulness makes

it worth its weight in pieces of eight.

The leaves are pungent, especially in

bright sunshine, so they’d make flavour-

filled additions to the suppers of the

shipwrecked. The piney, almost peppery

taste has the power to elevate roasted

red snapper and ‘caiman kebabs’ (my

desert island speciality) from very good

to great! Then, as the sun goes over the

yardarm, a sprig or two in a highball glass

gives balance to the freshly squeezed

pineapple in my spiced-rum daiquiri snifter.

Like all thyme varieties, the clusters

of pink blooms are also a favourite food

source for bees – this would be important

for my marooned self, as bumbles are

essential to pollinate my Brazil nuts,

okra and avocado.

Toby celebrates the one plant he would rescue from

the waves if he were ever cast away on a desert island

“This valuable herb

is worth its weight

in pieces of eight!”

Wild thyme is also a hit with butterflies

• in fact, the rare large blue relies on the
  plant for its survival. I found out about
  this from my friend, leading entomologist
  Dr Ian Bedford, who told me about the
  butterfly’s fascinating life cycle. As well
  as providing the adults with nectar, wild
  thyme is where the butterflies lay their
  eggs. When these hatch into caterpillars,
  they are immediately abducted by red
  ants that take them off to their nests.
  At this point in the story, you are
  probably expecting cannibalism – but
  the ants don’t actually eat the caterpillars.
  Instead, they let them graze on their own
  grubs in exchange for a sugary secretion
  produced on the caterpillars’ backs.

Summer herb secrets...

When the caterpillars pupate and later

hatch into butterflies, the ants take them

out of the nest to a sunny place to dry off

their wings and fly away. On my lonely

atoll, watching the drama of this miracle

unfold would be better than EastEnders.

I know what you’re thinking: thyme

needs neutral/alkaline soil and can’t

survive in crowded borders in Blighty,

let alone the humidity of the tropics. But

on my island of butterflies and botanical

wonders, anything goes. So drop anchor!

You’ll love it, and the kebabs are divine...

AFTER flowering, trim thyme, mint and oregano
to keep the plants compact and encourage new
shoots to grow from the base. Then give the roots
a generous water. Trimming rosemary and sage
also makes for bushier plants, and the straight,
flower-free regrowth is excellent material for taking
cuttings. Trim off 5in (12cm) sprigs just below the
lowest bud. Rub the leaves off the lower half, then push
into compost-filled pots spaced with the foliage just touching.
Loosely cover with a clear plastic bag and place on a shaded windowsill.
In a few weeks, they’ll root and be ready for potting on.
All photography Alamy, unless otherwise credited

Wild thyme is a big hit with butterfl ies

like the large blue – as well as working

wonders in a spiced rum daiquiri!

lowest bud. Rub the leaves off the lower half, then push

into compost-filled pots spaced with the foliage just touching.

Loosely cover with a clear plastic bag and place on a shaded windowsill.

Take cuttings by trimming

off 5in (12cm) sprigs

nce upon a thyme...

The clusters of pink

blooms on thyme are

also a great food

source for bees

Toby Buckland

To b y’s top tips

1

Thyme fails when it is crowded

by neighbours, so plant it in an

open spot or in its own pot.

2

Wild or creeping thyme

(Thymus polytrichus) isn’t the

best for flavour. For pots outside

the kitchen, choose common

thyme (T. vulgaris) or lemony

T. citriodorus ‘Variegata’ (pictured).

Derek Ramsey / Wikicommons

TI Media