Thymus serpyllum.

Creeping thyme — also known as wild thyme — is a small marvel of sunny ground. This creeping perennial plant forms a dense, perfumed carpet that delicately hugs stones, paths and dry soils. Its tiny tender-green leaves release a warm, aromatic fragrance at the slightest brush, evoking at once wild hills, honey and Mediterranean herbs.

In early summer, wild thyme covers itself in a multitude of small pink to purplish flowers that draw bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Its low, spreading habit makes it an excellent natural ground cover — as beautiful as it is resilient. It admirably withstands drought, poor soils and even light foot traffic, while asking very little upkeep.

It's that tolerance of being walked on that makes it a case apart. Planted between the flagstones of a path or in the joints of a low wall, it's the only aromatic plant you can literally step on, and every step releases its perfume. It's also a genuine alternative to lawn for the dry, sunny strips where grass dies back every summer: no mowing, no watering, and a flowering that hums for weeks. Its leaves are used in the kitchen exactly like those of common thyme, with a slightly finer, more floral perfume.

Hardy and full of character, creeping thyme brings a wild, poetic atmosphere to rockeries, borders and natural gardens. Its powerful perfume recalls the landscapes of garrigue heated by the sun, where earth and aromatic herbs blend in the warm summer air.

Grower's tip: the seeds are among the finest in the catalogue, almost dust. Mixing them with a spoonful of fine sand before sowing spreads them evenly instead of dumping them in clumps. Sow on the surface without covering at all — light triggers emergence — and mist rather than water. Slow germination, 14 to 21 days. After that, one rule only: drainage. It isn't our winter cold that kills it, it's water standing around the crown at the March thaw. Sandy or stony soil, a raised spot, and above all no thick organic mulch holding moisture against the stems.

• Open-pollinated. Perennial except in zones too cold. Excellent pollinator plant.
• Grows to ~15 cm (6") tall, in a spreading mat.
• Tolerates light foot traffic: ideal between flagstones, in wall joints, or as a lawn replacement on a dry strip.
• Exposure: full sun.
• Poor, dry, perfectly drained soil. Standing moisture kills it, not cold. No thick mulch.
• Sow on the surface without covering, mixed with fine sand for even spreading.