Thyme

There are three different groups of thyme eg. Mounding thyme ex. "Doone Valley", Creeping thyme ex. "Mother of Thyme" ;"Pink Thyme"; "White Thyme", and Upright thyme ex. "Silver Posy Thyme" and "Garden Thyme". The classic culinary Thyme, being Garden Thyme, has an upright growing habit that makes it easier to pick.

Garden Thyme is a small, aromatic perennial herb with thin woody stems. It bears small greyish green leaves and small violet flowers. It needs a sunny position and not much water. In their natural environment Thymes grow at the edges of paths and on warm, dry, rocky banks - something that you can easily create in your garden.

Culinary Uses

• Of all the Thymes, Garden Thyme is the best to use for cooking. Use it in meat, poultry and fish dishes, stews, egg, vegetable, & cheese dishes, cakes & pastry, mayonnaise and salad sauces, soups and herbal teas.
• Flavour oils and vinegars with Garden Thyme.
• Fresh Garden Thyme is delicious when sprinkled on salads.

Medicinal Uses

Always consult someone with herbal knowledge before self medicating with herbs.
When using Garden Thyme medicinally I would like to recommend the following method of the herbal tea infusion

Method:

½ teaspoon dried herb( Thyme is a very strong herb)
or 1 tablespoon fresh herb to 1 cup boiling water

Place the herbs in a container with a lid. Pour the boiling water over the herbs.
Cover and stand for 5-15 minutes. Strain. Add sugar or honey if necessary.
Use as a drink, taking 3 to 4 cups daily, hot or cold (per advice of the doctor or herbalist).
Make enough for one day only. Do not stand overnight to use the next day.

The above Garden Thyme infusion is:

• an antiseptic - apply it externally to heal wounds, cuts and bruises and to increase blood flow to the area
• a gargle for sore throats
• An expectorant, antibacterial and antibiotic - it soothes nasal congestion, coughs, bronchitis and deep-seated chest infections marked by thick, yellow phlegm.
• Use it as an inhalant to treat asthma
• A useful digestive remedy as it is antispasmodic that will help for diarrhoea and irritable bowel.
• Stimulates the immune system, especially in fungal infections

Warning: Do not use Garden Thyme for medicinal purposes during pregnancy as it is a uterine stimulant