The red creeping thyme lawn is a beautiful new take on traditional grass – here's how to grow one

If you’re tired of looking out to a plain grass lawn, learning how to grow a creeping thyme lawn could be the next best thing you do for your garden.

This purple-flowered creeping perennial is a beautiful, low-maintenance lawn alternative, and it’s a popular choice for those looking to grow a tapestry lawn. It's great for wildlife, too.

To help you get started, we’ve checked in with gardening experts and thrown together a guide on how to grow a red creeping thyme lawn from scratch.

1. Make sure the conditions are right

Before you get started, you’ll need to make sure your garden fits the bill – because a successful red creeping thyme lawn will depend on a few factors.

‘You’ll want to make sure that you’ve a sunny spot that gets lots of natural sunlight,’ says Liam Cleary, gardening expert at the Old Railway Line Garden Centre. ‘It does require patience, too. It can take up to three years to achieve a ‘carpet’ look.’

If your lawn usually receives a lot of foot traffic, it might be better to avoid this perennial.

‘If you have pets, children or want to walk on it, then forget it,’ warns garden designer Harriet Worsley. ‘It’s just not tough enough for boots, shoes and heavy humans – let alone running children and capering dogs.

‘However, for a lawn that is only really viewed, or one that has paving stepping-stones running through it, it will grow into a beautiful verdant mat of groundcover.’ In fact, coupling a red creeping thyme lawn with stepping stones is a brilliant, cheap, DIY garden path idea.

2. Buy the plants

A red creeping thyme lawn isn’t usually grown from seed – instead, you’ll need to buy the plants.

‘The drawbacks are that it is grown from plants, rather than seed, so a larger area lawn can become expensive to start with,’ says Liam.

If you’re keen to start a creeping thyme lawn, we’re in the perfect season to get started.

‘To grow, begin the process in spring,’ says Liam. ‘Plant in well-drained soil, and ensure you water whenever there’s a dry spell for at least the first year.’

Where to buy creeping thyme plants:

3. Monitor growth

A red creeping thyme lawn can take a while to fully establish, but the results are worth the wait.

‘In the first few months, the plant will establish its root system,’ explains Chris Bonnett, garden expert and owner of GardeningExpress.co.uk. ‘This growth, to begin with, can be slow. After that, it will begin spreading outwards, and you should have a dense mat of coverage within one to two years.’

4. Hand weed (at first)

As your creeping thyme lawn grows, you’ll need to do very little besides watering it during dry spells. Even though it’s one of the best ground cover plants for preventing weeds, you’ll still need to keep on top of some light weeding while it establishes.

‘Ensure you hand weed regularly to ensure the plants can knit together,’ explains Liam.

You won’t need to mow it, though.

‘It’s low-maintenance and requires no mowing at all as it usually stays low, around a few inches tall,’ says Chris.

5. Replenish the plants

Like most plants, a red creeping thyme lawn won't last forever, but there are ways to replenish the plants over time.

'To maintain the lawn, cut back after flowering to remove the spent flower heads and some of the soft green wood,' advises Liz Zorab, gardener, writer and BBC Radio Wales gardening expert. 'This should encourage plenty of new growth.'

You can also think about replacing the plants over time. 'Red creeping thyme lawns can get a bit patchy over time, as the plants mature and become woodier,' explains Liz. 'To remedy this, either lift and replace with new, young plants, or cut them back fairly hard, ensuring that you don’t cut it right back to the very old wood, as it may not regrow if you do.'

Will you be learning how to grow a creeping thyme lawn this year? We'd love to hear your thoughts!