The Gazette: What is an annual? What is a perennial? And why does it matter?

Understanding the Context

An annual is a plant that lives and dies in one growing season. A perennial regrows and reblooms year after year. In our busy world, why plant anything but perennials? Because annuals are the backbone ...

Key Insights

What is an annual? What is a perennial? And why does it matter? Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a hardy, low-growing perennial herb that thrives in dry, sunny conditions. Native to the Mediterranean, it’s prized for its rich flavor that holds up during cooking and pairs naturally with ingredients like garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes.

Final Thoughts

The annual gardening cycle is expensive, time-consuming, and β€” when you step back and look at it β€” a little absurd. You buy seeds or starts, raise them through a season, and then watch them die. Next ... Thymes are native to Eurasia and North Africa. Thymes have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. The species most commonly cultivated and used for culinary purposes is Thymus vulgaris, native to Southeast Europe.

Wild thyme grows in the Levant, where it might have been first cultivated. Learn how to grow thyme successfully! From planting seeds to harvesting fresh leaves, explore culinary and ornamental thyme varieties, care tips, and pollinator-friendly benefits. Thyme refers to a group of herbal plants in the Thymus genus.