Herbal lawn

[the.fee.fairy]

I read on here last year about sowing a lawn with herbs (i think t was wild thyme). I remember reading that you can mow it and walk on it without a problem.

I spoke to a herb man last year about chamomile, and i bought some because it was supposed to creep along the lawn. I don't know if it was killed because my dad mowed it to young, or whether a combination of wood-ash from the fire and frost over the winter finished it off, but its not there now.

As much as i like grass, a herbal lawn would be nicer!!

Any ideas/hints/tips?

[ohareward]

Hi Fee, This is from a mag I subscribe to.
If you have an orchard or planning to plant one, consider putting down a herbal ley underneath. A seed mix of red and white clover makes a great herbal ley, easily blocking out weeds and will happily thrive all winter before dying down to allow spring-sown seeds to come through. You can also plant borage seed, parsnip seed. These seeds can be grown in the strips down between the trees so that these strips can be mowed regularly, and taller growing and flowering herbs in between and around the trees where the mulch is thrown when the in between strips are mowed. Once you have your herb ley planted you'll need to go through it regularly during the spring and autumn and hand pull the thistles and other grasses that are not wanted and make compost heps with them.

[baldowrie]

If memory serves me correctly when I was reading up and growing a chamomile lawn it was grown because it did not need mowing. You have to be careful you get the correct species and it does take a very long time to grow.

Thyme lawns, are not really lawns as such but a green covering which I assume would need a light trim with mower set at the heights maybe no more than once a year.

A friend of mine had chives in their grass lawn and every time it rained, or they cut it, or they walked on it the chives fragrance wafted into the air

[Millymollymandy]

It was me that had wild thyme in the lawn at my last house. It got mowed every time we mowed, and did very well and flowered beautifully. Of course we didn't mow from June onwards because the grass didn't grow because of the heat, but at least the thyme stayed green except for the heatwave summer of 1994.

[the.fee.fairy]

thanks M3!

I knew someone had experience with wild thyme and had said that it can be walked on and mowed.

I'll have a look out for some seeds - i presume i can just broadcast them into the lawn, right?

Does it creep?
Does it need to be planted in 'cells' in the lawn?
Will it take over the grass?
What does it look like?

So many questions...

[red]

I'm growing chamomile from seed this year as there is a patio slab missing - thught it could be a mini lawn - seed is very fine - seedlyings are tiny and packet says prick out! not sure how thats going to work...

[the.fee.fairy]

keep me informed on how it goes. I've got a slab-sized strip coming up in my garden. I'm taking the path out. Chamomile sounds like a good plan!

[Millymollymandy]

thanks M3!

I knew someone had experience with wild thyme and had said that it can be walked on and mowed.

I'll have a look out for some seeds - i presume i can just broadcast them into the lawn, right?

Does it creep?
Does it need to be planted in 'cells' in the lawn?
Will it take over the grass?
What does it look like?

So many questions...

I'm your man! (or rather, woman!)

For my current garden, I have a very dry bed on a slope, so I decided to plant it with wild thyme to supress the weeds. I bought some seeds (thymus serpollum) and sowed it seed trays. Be warned, the seed is absolutely tiny.

You then get absolutely tiny little seedlings coming up, which were really hard work to prick out because of their size, but I succeeded. I replanted into more seed trays, and then when the plants were bigger (about 2" diameter!) I planted them out. Thinking back I think I planted out in the autumn after a spring sowing. Oh and this was 2005.

They are now big bushy plants covering nearly all the bed, and I have just noticed that it is self seeding because there are a few gaps here and there where I want some more. And yes it definitately creeps.

I chop it back with shears after flowering or if it gets a bit straggly. I don't think it will completely take over the grass but an individual plant could be about 1 foot diameter, but that's better because you'll get nice patches of flowers. You have to stop mowing those patches when it comes near to flowering time in summer though.

It's a bit hard work to start with but persevere because in 2 years you'll have something to show for it.

I don't have photos and have problems reducing in size to post but if you google it I'm sure you'll find some photos.

[the.fee.fairy]

Ace.
Ta M3

*toddles off to look for thyme seeds*