Broad-leaved Thyme 'Foxley'

An attractive and versatile evergreen sub-shrub, 'Foxley' is prized in UK gardens for its variegated foliage and culinary utility. It forms a low-growing carpet of dark green leaves splashed with bold cream and pink highlights, which are particularly vivid in spring. Growing to approximately 10cm tall with a spreading habit, it is an excellent choice for rock gardens, path edgings, or container plantings. During mid to late summer, it produces small, nectar-rich mauve flowers that are highly attractive to bees and hoverflies. This cultivar is very hardy (H4) and thrives in a position of full sun with gritty, free-draining soil. The leaves have a pleasant, mild thyme scent and can be used to flavour stews, meats, and vegetables. To maintain a neat shape and encourage fresh variegated growth, it should be lightly pruned after flowering. It is more tolerant of slightly damper UK winters than some other thyme varieties, though good drainage remains essential.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Gritty, well-drained soil.

Hardiness: H4 — down to −10°C.

Flowering: Jun, Jul, Aug.