Last season I took a very small cutting of some thyme from my daughter 
It took off like a rocket and spread rapidly and when it came into flower, it looked amazing - as you can see by the photo below.
I was so thrilled - and then ...
It just died!!!
I have no idea why - maybe grubs ate the roots, - or perhaps I fed the other plants around it with organic fertilizer and it did not like this - who knows?
Anyway, these things happen - I have now planted a new cutting, so we shall see what happens.
I love thyme for cooking and of course for the flowers that the bees go crazy for.
There are many different varieties of thyme - mine is the common thyme (supposed to be one of the hardiest) and there are quite a few interesting stories about this herb.
It is said that the Romans took it to Europe when they invaded and it was used as a powerful antiseptic - and still is today as it is the basis of most cough mixtures.
It was also used in prisons to prevent jail fever.
During the great plague in Britain, the ladies would put it into their small bouquets and sniff it when out and about to ward off germs.
This herb has also been used in embalming.
In many countries it grows wild and is kept trimmed by the local goats that pass by.
